Demon King of Fairy Tail
by MaelstromBankai
Summary: After a botched jutsu by Madara, Naruto becomes the new Juubi. Leaving his world, he ends up in Fiore and joins Fairy Tail in their adventures. How will Fiore survive now that Fairy Tail's new member is the Juubi no Yoko? The Dragons better watch out...they're no longer on top of the food chain. God-like Naruto! NarutoxHarem!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Fairy Tail and any other anime or manga that appears in this piece of fiction. If I did, the Sage of Six Paths would have made an appearance and the Juubi would be less ugly as shit.**

**Chapter 1: The End of this World**

In a non-descript area, which was formerly a land filled with trees and vegetation but was reduced to an uneven bare scar on the earth, two men with their own ambitions for the world gazed in silence at the sight before them. They stood on top of a being which had a grotesquely bloated, round body and seemed to crawl on its belly, while branch-like spiky protrusions grew out of its back at a straight angle. It had a singular unique eye, taking up most of its head, four concentric circles with six tomoe in the two circles closest to the pupil. It also had a wide, cavernous mouth with multiple rows of sharp, pointed teeth, as well as a spiked chin. It was possibly the largest being in the world, the source of all chakra, but is also the progenitor of everything that exists in this world…The Ame no Hitotsu no Kami, the One-Eyed God or the Juubi.

The man on the left peered over the land, his mismatched eyes narrowing in barely concealed frustration. He wore a pair of black pants and gloves, with a white, presumed form-fitting shirt underneath. Over this he wore a purple, high-collared, long sleeve mantle that split down the lower half and had the Uchiha crest on the back, though the left sleeve had been all but torn off. Around his waist he wore a simple, light-purple obi and a belt. His left eye had a ripple-like pattern which spread over the eyeballs, with light purple irides and sclerae. His right eye, on the other hand, was a stunning red with a black design reminiscent of a pin-wheel in the center. This man was Uchiha Obito, the man responsible for the Fourth Great Shinobi War.

The second man merely crossed his arms, his bored look remaining on his visage. He was a tall, fair-skinned man with spiky, black hair that had a slight, blue tint to it. By adulthood, his hair had grown to waist-length with shoulder-length bangs framing the sides of his face, covering his right eye entirely. Although still relatively young, more prominent creases had developed under each of his eyes. In most cases, his attire took the form of the standard shinobi dress of a previous era, consisting of bright red traditional armor — similar to that of samurai — worn over a simple black suit. This armor was constructed from numerous metal plates, formed into multiple protective guards along his body, in particular: chest, waist, shoulders and thighs. Unusually, his chest plate left his back entirely exposed, presumably so as to better display his clan's crest. This clothing was accompanied by boots and gloves. Strapped to his back, he carried a crimson gunbai with black trimmings and black tomoe, connected to a black chain that runs up his right sleeve. His Rinnegan eyes surveyed the scene before him with amusement. His name was…Uchiha Madara.

Standing several meters away from them were the entire Allied Shinobi Forces, minus the Five Kage of course. Standing in the center of the group of distinguished shinobi were three battle-worn Leaf Shinobi, all who were gathering their second wind for the inevitable clash against the Uchihas. The most notable one of them all stood proudly with a determined expression on his face, his fingers in a cross sign while his eyes bore into Madara's disinterested ones. He had ocean blue eyes and blond, spiky hair. He wore an orange and black jumpsuit with black sandals as well as a black headband. He also had three whisker marks on his face which greatly resembled that of a cat or fox. He switched his gaze to Obito and called out. "You think we're still a disorganized group?! We are…the Shinobi Alliance! Keep it in mind!"

Obito said nothing, choosing to just stare at them with impassiveness. After a few moments of staring at them, he finally spoke his words. "It matters not whether you are a thousand or a hundred thousand…none of you can hope to compare with the power of the Juubi. The Eye of the Moon Plan will be fulfilled…one way or another."

The Juubi roared in agreement, forcing all the Allied Shinobi to the ground while the earth trembled beneath at the sounds of its creator. Naruto grit his teeth as he quickly staggered to his feet, wracking his brain on what they could use to defeat the two Uchihas. _'Kurama, how much longer until you can come back out?' _He questioned, absently wiping sweat from his forehead.

Inside the seal, the Kyuubi no Kurama's closed eyes gained a minor tick mark as he sat in a meditative posture. **"I won't be able to merge ourselves together for at least another five minutes or so. Just try and hang on until I can rejoin the fight!"** He ordered.

'Gotcha.' Concentrating on his chakra once more, Naruto wearily summoned two Kage Bunshins beside him. He turned to the Shinobi behind him, the beginnings of an idea stirring in his mind. "Ino," She snapped to attention immediately, ready to hear his plan. "D'you think you and Hinata can manage to control them again? I need just two seconds to pull this off." The seriousness in his voice reflected how much he needed this part of his plan to work.

"Hai, though I doubt that it'll be as easy as it was before."

Nodding his head, he shifted to the other Shinobi. "Anyone with an A-Rank Katon jutsu up their sleeves?" A chorus of "Hai!" answered his question. "Alright, here's what we're gonna try!"

With Madara and Obito, the former was ever so subtly forming the hand-seals he had mastered over his long life to obtain more power. The Ninpo: Douka no Jutsu (Ninja Release: Assimilation Jutsu) was a jutsu he had initially started creating with his brother Izuna. The concept of the jutsu was for the user to selectively withdraw certain desirable traits from the enemy shinobi and absorb them into the user's body. It had originally been their plan to find a way to restore Izuna's eyes…but he had perished on the battlefield the next day. Ever since his defeat at the hands of Senju Hashirama in the Valley of the End, he had been forced to rely much more than he pleased on the Douka no Jutsu in order to rejuvenate his life-force when he found his body reaching its limit.

However, this time, his targets were the last two Jinchuuriki; Naruto and Killer Bee. Despite the fact that the Juubi had been successfully revived, Madara wanted more. He wasn't content with becoming the jinchuuriki of an incomplete Bijuu…he wanted to be the shinobi who would finally surpass the Sage of Six Paths himself! With the Douka no Jutsu, he could possibly assimilate both of them into the Juubi and hopefully trigger a reaction in the One-Eyed God to become complete. 'I must hurry and seal the last pieces into the Juubi before Obito starts getting impatient once more…why couldn't he just stick to the plan we had and gather all the Bijuu before he resurrected the Juubi?' Stopping on the last seal, Madara was about to shout his jutsu for the Allied Forces to hear but was stopped by the sudden bombardment of jutsu.

Dragons of flame, boulders of varying sizes, water bullets from a particular cluster, wind blades and tornadoes flying around in different directions, and even the occasional streak of lightning could be seen hurtling towards the two of them. Using his link to the Bijuu, Madara concentrated as the Juubi opened its shark-like mouth. Negative white energy and positive black energy formed at incredible speeds, already being swallowed by the beast as it solidified into a condensed ball of chakra. Madara smirked as he readied the Tailed Beast Skill. "Bijuu Reizā. (Tailed Beast Laser)"

The attack was fired at an intensity that took the Shinobi Forces completely by surprise, judging their shocked faces and rapid paling. The dense mass of chakra had easily swallowed their attacks, cutting a deep trench through the earth as it headed towards them. "Katon/Futon: Gōryūka no Jutsu/ Chou Oodama Bijuu Rasenshuriken!" Came the cry of Naruto and a majority of the Shinobi Force. It was at that moment, when the devastating abruptly disappeared into strands of chakra, that a massive dragon head erupted from the dust cloud that had been kicked up by the Bijuu Reizā, a large orb of black chakra surrounded by four large points resembling a fuma shuriken.

Obito sent a glare towards the elder Uchiha. "Enough showing off, let's get the project started already." Facing the approaching attack, Obito attempted to send it into another dimension using his Kamui…but, to his disbelief, the warping barrier he expected to see was not forming at all. Stealing a glance towards Kakashi, he noted with slight annoyance that he was indeed interfering with his activation of Kamui. _'How is he gaining knowledge on the usage of Kamui so quickly? Before, he could only teleport objects into a separate dimension, but now he's even capable of stopping Kamui from taking place…'_

Madara paid no mind to the incoming fire dragon, slowly going through the hand-seals he needed for his assimilation jutsu. However, due to the arrogant nature of the Uchiha leader, he failed to notice that he had made an error in the order of the hand-seals. As the roaring dragon finally crashed into them, Madara uttered his jutsu. "Ninpo: Douka no Jutsu!"

As soon as he felt his body start decomposing, Madara knew something was wrong. The jutsu was supposed to 'pull' the chakra of his targets towards him, not the other way round. Also, he could see that he wasn't the only one being affected by the jutsu; Obito had sunk to his knees, a silent scream etched on his face. Beneath him, Madara could feel the Juubi writhing in discomfort as chakra strings emerged from its eye and started latching onto the various shinobi that were strewn across the land. Madara felt a sliver of fear worm its way into his heart as two strings attached themselves to him and Obito.

Then the pain slammed into them. Madara thought he had known what pain really felt like, having endured a beating at the hands of Hashirama himself, yet what he was feeling right now surpassed even that experience. He could literally feel his very being fade portion by portion, flowing straight into the mindlessly shrieking Juubi. Despite the burning pain he felt, Madara lifted his head to survey the land.

He wasn't the only one affected by his unintentional jutsu…each and every one of the Allied Shinobi Forces was either dead or in the process of dying. The jutsu had been adjusted to function like the Human Path of the Rinnegan, meaning the enemy shinobi would die after the jutsu was complete…but he had a body constructed by the Edo Tensei, so what would happen? WHY was this even happening? He was supposed to enslave the Shinobi world and rule it, with Obito being stuck in his own 'ideal' world! So why was this happening to him!?

Naruto let out a grunt of pain as he felt all the chakra strings grab every bit of his body they could land on, tears of frustration and sorrow running down his face. He had watched Kakashi and Bee literally shrivel up and die before his eyes. His team was gone; Sakura had fallen to the jutsu and Sai was too low on chakra to last long as well. The Konoha teams had also died, their last words being tearful goodbyes and words of soothing to each other. _'Kurama, I need some help!'_

"**On it! Here's my chakra!" **

Naruto's Nine Tailed Chakra Mode activated, empowering him with the might of the Bijuu within his gut. Unfortunately…that wasn't a very good idea, depending on how you look at it. Naruto cursed as he felt the strings tighten to the point where it was beginning to get difficult to breathe. "W-Why the heck isn't this thing coming off!?" He shouted, thrashing on the ground as the pain intensified.

A wealth of knowledge was flowing into him; experiences he had never gone through, meetings and scheming he had no idea had taken place, jutsu he had never heard of and several shinobi tactics he could barely understand. It didn't stop at that though; he also felt his mind recounting the memories of several different people.

Within the seal, Kurama was also assaulted with memories…the memories of his fellow brothers and sisters. He gripped his head, trying to lessen the flood of information as well as trying to figure a way out of their current situation. _**'Shit…at this rate, we're all going to become part of the Juubi! What did that fucktard Madara do?!'**_

Outside, Naruto's body was starting to break down as well. He could feel his legs grow steadily hotter until it felt like white-hot flames were trying to burst out of them. His bones were making several disturbing and excruciating sounds that were drowned out by the roars of the incomplete Juubi. _'I-Is this it? Am I gonna die like this? No, I refuse to let it end like this…Ero-Sennin and Dad left their wills to me, to find the answer to breaking the cycle of hatred. I can't just give up! Not now, not ever!'_ With a supreme effort of will, Naruto forced himself to form a Kage Bunshin.

The clone nodded its head and started preparing a BijuDama, only for them to stop when they heard a voice they did not expect to hear again. **"Naruto! Don't attack, you'll end up blowing yourself to bits!"**

Naruto's eyes widened in disbelief as he found himself sitting in front of the other Bijuu once again. Like last time, they were with their Jinchuuriki placed on their heads. Turning around, Naruto was quick to notice an obvious change. "Where's Kurama? Why isn't he here?"

Son Goku, the Four-Tailed Ape, was the one to break the news to him. **"Kurama is currently fighting to keep his form from breaking down into chakra to diffuse into the Juubi. We didn't contact him, since he needs his entire concentration on staying alive and in this world."** His voice was rough and gravelly, sounding like rocks crashing into each other.

Leaping to his feet, Naruto started waving his hands wildly. "W-Well what are you waiting for?! Tell me what I have to do to help him out. Obviously you have an idea how to get out of this situation…right?" He questioned, his arms falling to his sides while his hopeful gaze fell on all of them.

Goku took a deep breath before he spoke again. "We do have an idea…but the price might be too high to pay." The ape shifted from one huge arm to another, avoiding the young Sage's curious eyes. **"The Juubi is the focal point for the jutsu Madara cast…but we are what make up the Juubi. Instead of all of you being merged with the Juubi being the dominant presence, we can interfere and tweak the jutsu into making YOU the one who will benefit from this jutsu."**

Naruto recalled the chakra strings that fed him knowledge from the other Shinobi. "You mean…that stuff that happened was your doing?" Surprisingly, he wasn't angry with them. They had done what they thought was best for the world to survive and he could understand why they did it. Out of all the shinobi, he was the only one they would actively help out and entrust their power to.

Matatabi, the Two-Tailed Cat, spoke next, her voice low and solemn. **"Yes. We had no other alternative and it was the only thing we were capable of doing at the moment. However,"** Her gaze turned mournful and she averted her eyes. **"If you go through with this…you may lose yourself to the other presences inside the Juubi. Or you may have a personality change…either way, you'll never be the same after all this."**

Naruto blanched at that. He would never be the same? Compared to the alternative, which was the Juubi becoming complete and feasting on the civilians, that didn't seem like much of a price to pay. As if hearing his thoughts, Isobu the Three Tails shifted his eye on Naruto. **"What Matatabi-nee means is you might be overcome by the nature of Madara and decide to conquer the world as well. Even if that doesn't happen, a part of all those killed in the War will be accumulated within you along with yourself."**

Naruto blinked; when it was put that way, either situation was bad…still, Madara would have to compete with the other aspects of the Allied Force if he wanted to seriously corrupt Naruto. Sure he may end up being a bit more arrogant but it wasn't like it would be a bad thing…right? "Do it…but I'd like you to do something for me."

Chōmei was the one who asked the question. **"What request is it that you wish for us to do? We may not be able to help with it but we will hear you out."**

Naruto nodded his head, that was the best he could get and he was willing to take it. "When you come together once again…could Kurama be the base for the fusion?" Despite the fact that the Bijuu could not imitate quite a few human expressions, Naruto could definitely tell that they were confused. "Ever since his defeat at the Valley of the End, Kurama hasn't had the chance to actually be free since then. I-I would appreciate it if you made him the dominant personality in your own fusion." He finished, his eyes locked unto each of theirs.

All they could do was nod in silence as Naruto disappeared from their plane of consciousness.

**-Physical World-**

The Juubi sank to the floor, it's body disintegrating as more and more of its chakra was siphoned to the young Uzumaki. All that remained were its head and upper body, five outrageously long tails and the left arm. By now, all that was left of the Shinobi who had been present was their clothes; even Madara's Edo Tensei body had been absorbed into Naruto's continuously shifting new body.

It was mostly the same as his old one, though there were several differences. For instance, his fingers now ended with dangerously sharp claws that gleamed in the moonlight, his whisker marks had all but vanished, and his hair was longer than ever; in fact, it resembled his father's but was generally shaped like a lion's mane. His body had bulked up more muscle as well; enough to clearly define the muscles through his clothing yet compact and not overly ripped.

The beast gave one last howl as its consciousness was finally assimilated. With its job done, the Douka no Jutsu was released. No sound was made and the earth seemed to hold its breath in anticipation; would this being be its savior…or its executioner?

Naruto's eyes slowly opened, revealing themselves to the world. Black sclera, containing the eyes of the Juubi, gazed into the moon. His lips stretched into a disarming smile. "I made it…I'm still in control." He leapt to his feet and pointed his finger to the moon. "Take that, ya bastards! Uzumaki Naruto is the undisputed No. 1!"

**A/N: Just so you know, Naruto will leave his world in the next chapter. He may not like it, but there are various weapons and items that he may need in his adventures. I'm giving Naruto five weapons to use: Samehada, Tetsusaiga, Bakusaiga, ****Kubikiribōchō and Madara's kickass war fan. **

**Harem for the story:**

**Erza Scarlet**

**Lucy Heartfilia**

**Tayuya-Can someone say 'redhead catfight'?**

**Konan**

**Samui**

**Mirajane Strausse**

**Juvia Lockser**

**Female Sasuke- I've always wanted to try this pairing!**

**Aaaaaaand…Erza Knightwalker-She's got the whole 'hot evil babe' thing going on. Plus, this adds twincest to the story…well, sorta.**

**Any complaints? Send me a PM. Next story to be updated after chapter 2 will be 'The Bijuu Shur'tugal'. Maelstrom Ashikabi is being pushed back to the middle of December; my inspiration needs a few more doses before I can continue the chapter.**

**Next chapter, Naruto tames the Dragon King and makes himself known to Fairy Tail. Please note that this is when Natsu and the others are younger, so no Lucy just yet. Naruto will also become younger due to the dimensional travel; he'll be slightly older than Erza, who will be 13 when Naruto appears in Fairy Tail.**

**Exams end in three days…can't wait for the reprieve.**

**MaelstromBankai.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Fairy Tail and any other manga, anime or book that appears in this fanfic of mine. If I did, I would make it a point to roll in my money at least once every day just to rub it in your faces.**

**Chapter 2: The Dragon Tamer **

Standing proudly on the sands that made up the wasteland, Uzumaki Naruto maintained the pose he had made immediately after his 'rebirth'; his right hand was thrust into the night sky with his index finger pointing towards the moon, his left hand resting casually against his waist while his feet were planted firmly on the ground. A cocky smirk was plastered on his face, showing off the elongated fangs that were hidden behind his lips, and his eyes gleamed in self-satisfaction.

Of course, after a few moments of staying like that, he quickly got serious. His smirk receded until his mouth was set in a thoughtful frown. At the moment, he was probably the only survivor of the Fourth Great Shinobi War; he had seen what Madara had done to the Five Kage and, despite how much he didn't want to believe it, there was a more than likely chance that they were at Death's door. A part of him, the one which was originally his own self, wanted to rush towards Tsunade-Baachan and the others and help out…but the other logical side of him made him stay where he was.

Even though he had Sakura's knowledge of medical jutsu, he knew that he would not be able to help in any way. _Knowing_ how to do something was not the same as being able to actually do it; the Bunshin no Jutsu had been something they had all been taught in the Ninja Academy, yet it was still the only Jutsu he could never hope to achieve…well, at least not for quite a while.

Scanning the wasteland that had been once thrumming with life, Naruto finally noticed the state of his clothes. His jumpsuit was officially trashed; the piece of clothing had been shredded to several threads in every imaginable place. Not even his pants had survive the transformation…yet his boxers were miraculously intact. He blinked stupidly at the ridiculousness of the situation; his underwear was indestructible while his jumpsuit wasn't? _'Must be some crazy universal law in anime or something…wait, what the hell is anime?'_

Focusing on his current situation, Naruto cast a piercing gaze around him, his eyes catching every detail with its piercing gaze. Unlike before, when it had shown up on the incomplete Juubi, his eyes had the full nine tomoe that encircled the four concentric ripples; it would seem that the merging had completed the powers of the eyes.

Picking out the various clothing that littered the area, Naruto thoughtfully thumbed his chin as he mentally picked out what to choose from. He had to force himself from eyeing the kunoichi outfits several times during the process; he was a guy damn it, no matter how many female experiences were dumped into his head. After checking out the various clothing that lay strewn along the earth, Naruto silently made his way towards the bundle that was Kakashi's. He knelt next to the bundle, searching for the item he had always wanted ever since he had first met his sensei. Finding the Copy Ninja's face mask next to his headband, Naruto let a sad smile grace his lips. While a part of Kakashi would always be with him, it still hurt to know that his mentor would no longer be with him in this world.

Fitting the mask unto his face, Naruto was about to proceed to other bundles when an idea struck him. _'Why don't I just use the Inton: Banbutsu Sozo to create something for myself?'_ He thought. It wasn't that bad of an idea; with at least a few hundred Kage Bunshin, he would be able to create something that was both efficient but suited to his tastes. "Yeah…that seems like a good idea." He spoke to himself, his words soft and feathery in the wind.

Several puffs of smoke later, Naruto was unpleasantly surprised to see that instead of him making one Kage Bunshin, he had used enough chakra to create what looked to be fifty clones. At that moment, he felt like slamming his head into something. _'How the heck did I forget that my chakra control would be like shit after the assimilation? That should've been the first thing I thought about before!' _Rubbing his head in frustration, Naruto gestured to the assembled Kage Bunshins. "Okay guys, I want half of you to work on the Inton: Banbutsu Sozo while the other half work on all chakra control exercises you can remember. I'm going to scavenge the battlefield and see what I weapon I can find for myself."

All clones smartly saluted. "Hai Boss!" They all scattered into the distance, looking like nothing more than blurs in the night. Naruto sighed as he felt a clone dispel because it accidentally run into a tree. _'This is gonna take a while…'_

He easily located Samehada, one of the Seven Swords of Kiri that he had been rather intimate with. Its white bandages stood out easily against the darkened earth, casting an ethereal glow around the sentient blade. His footsteps were loud in the silence of the night. When he reached it, Naruto unhesitatingly grabbed the handle, watching as the sword's handle glowed a malevolent black colour and the human skull at the end of the handle transform into a canine skull instead.

"_**Well, aren't you looking good…your chakra has become even more delicious than ever, Master."**_ The voice was soft, sensuous and surprisingly female. If Naruto had ever thought he had seen everything the world had to offer, he made a mental note to eradicate it from his mind. _**"Oh? You seem surprised that I can talk…then again, I can't say I blame you for that line of thought."**_

"Oookay…so you can read my mind now? Before you answer that, what happened to you? You know, the whole glowing handle and shape changing skull?" Naruto asked. Despite the fact that it was a bit disturbing to have a female's voice in his mind, Naruto was rather pleased with it. It reminded him of the recent times when he and Kurama talked.

"_**That was a sign that I am yours. Never in my existence have I come across chakra that tastes as divine as yours and is unlimited! To not accept you would be nothing less than foolish to the highest degree. Also, without a source of chakra for me to feed on, I would eventually shrivel up and die; can you imagine how ugly my scales would look like? No thank you." **_She-Naruto still found it weird to think of Samehada as feminine-stated. The bandages that were usually around her loosened and began wrapping themselves around Naruto, covering a few of the glaring holes in his current outfit.

Naruto stared at her in fascination. He had seen the bandages used only to wrap Samehada's scales; never had he thought they could be used in this manner. "Thanks for that, Same-chan. Uh, just to be sure, is your name really Samehada?" He asked as he hefted her unto his shoulder. A grunt escaped his lips as she sank her teeth into his shoulder, one of surprise not pain.

"_**So good…More…Feed me more, Naruto-sama!"**_ Naruto shivered as a rather…amorous moan was heard. Maybe this was a bad idea…was she really getting off by sucking his chakra? _'That's just creepy as hell…what's next, I'm gonna have a harem of women?'_ Eventually, after a few tugs to get her out of her daze, Samehada released her grip from his shoulder.

"_**Forgive me Naruto-sama, but your chakra just tastes so irresistibly good…and my name is what you wish it to be. Before I was named Samehada, I had no name yet I cared not for such a trivial thing. Does a weapon need a name? So long I was fed chakra, I never bothered to make a name for myself."**_ Her voice held no emotion yet was very light; it was almost as though she was making a statement about the weather.

Naruto said nothing, merely nodding and settling into a comfortable sitting position. "So, what do you know about forging weapons?" Feeling her scales start tensing, Naruto quickly sought to avoid a misunderstanding. "I'm not saying there is anything wrong with you, but I feel like I should craft my own weapons. It would also be nice for me to make my own blades; maybe a smaller blade for indoor fights."

Samehada let out a huff. _**"While I'm not sure about that idea, I do know of forgery…I can teach you a few things in exchange for your chakra."**_ Naruto hung his head in exasperation. What was he, food? At that moment, a few more clones dispelled, earning a sigh from the blond. _'This is really going to take a while…'_

**-Time skip, 1 Year Later-**

Naruto wiped a brow of sweat off his forehead as he lifted the blade he had finished forging. At the moment, he was in the same cavern Madara had habituated during the latter years of his life. What he had planned to do was to create a pair of demonic swords that would work in conjunction with Samehada and Kubikiribōchō. He had discovered Zabuza's blade in the hands of Hozuki Suigetsu, one of Sasuke's team members, and had requested it be handed over to him. He had even included the word _'please'_.

Suigetsu had laughed at him and called him a retard. Naruto laughed at his corpse after he was done with him.

It was really easy if you thought about it; Suigetsu was weak to lightning and extreme heat, something Naruto now had access to. Combined with his unlimited chakra reserves, one of the perks of Edo Tensei, Naruto had simply fried the Taka Shinobi to death, turning his liquid form into water vapor.

Anyways, he had kept Kubikiribōchō because it was able to repair itself using the iron in the blood. Such an ability was very useful and he had no intention of any civilian stumbling unto it and using it for his or her own means. So, despite Samehada's grumbling, he had taken to practicing his Kenjutsu with both Kiri blades. With Samehada, he focused on coordinating his strikes such that her scales could pierce, shave, gut and butcher his enemies in the first strike. Her chakra feasting ability was also something he had practiced with. With Kubikiribōchō, Naruto simply had to adjust his fighting style to quick yet powerful strikes that could end the battle before it began or before it was dragged on.

He stared at the sheathe which contained the sword with pride shining within his swirling eyes. It was expected; after all, who would expect to create such a fine piece of work on their first try? The sheathe was a simple white one, albeit with several rune lines running across its length. At the end was a purple thread that was tied in the shape of the letter 'Z'.

"Wow…I haven't even unsheathed it yet I can feel the power exuding from it…" He muttered. Setting the blade down for the meantime, Naruto arched his back, letting out a satisfied sound as his bones made minute cracking noises. "I think I'll take a break and work on the other one another time…also need to create some new clothes too." He mused. The clothes he was wearing were merely civilian garbs, made for the task of keeping him clothed. They weren't as durable as shinobi clothes, though, so he often ended up destroying them in his daily activities.

He sat on one of the two beds that were placed in the dark cavern and crossed his arms. One of his clones had heard news of Sasuke and Orochimaru while it had gone to the nearest village and what it had heard surprised him as well; apparently, they had both been killed in battle by an unknown kunoichi. Had he still been all Naruto, he would've gone after her in retaliation or something of the sort; now, he was simply curious as to who the person was.

Sasuke was listed as an A-rank Missing Nin in the Bingo Book and Orochimaru was a Sannin, someone on par with a Kage and the one to kill the Sandaime Hokage. For them to be defeated, their opponent must have been at least Kage-level to do so. Laying his back on the bed, Naruto hummed a tune to himself as he drifted off to sleep.

**-The Next Day-**

Stepping out into the sunlight, Naruto had to admit that the view of nature was much more pleasant outside than in the sorry excuse of a dwelling place he had been staying in for the past year. His hair had grown out, reaching the middle of his back while a third bang was developing in between his other two, and Samehada was strapped unto his back like his predecessors. He wore a nondescript shinobi garb, basically consisting of a shirt and pants with sandals, and had his demon blade strapped on his left hip. Kubikiribōchō was sealed in a scroll, which was safely stored in his pocket dimension to prevent anything from happening to it.

His crimson slit eyes settled on a branch that offered a great vantage spot and he leapt towards it. Despite the hundred meter gap that separated the two, Naruto easily cleared the distance and landed neatly on the branch. Activating his Juubi eyes, Naruto stared as far as his eyes could see-which was pretty damn far for your information-trying to catch a glimpse of any nearby chakra.

He stiffened as he saw what could possibly be the largest chakra source he could expect a human to achieve. The chakra itself looked familiar, yet different at the same time; it was able to pass off as a typical shinobi's but the innate nature of it was totally different from that of his departed comrades. "You wanna check it out, Same-chan?" He questioned.

Samehada thrummed once, her version of Sasuke's famous "Hn". Taking it as a 'yes', Naruto concentrated on the chakra signature. Instantaneously activating Jikukan Ido, Naruto disappeared in a swirling vortex from his spot, leaving nothing out of place.

When he landed at the chakra signature's location, the first thing he saw was a hooded figure standing in a forest on the border of Hi no Kuni. The white cloak that the figure wore did nothing to hide the curves that identified her as a kunoichi as well as the swell of her breasts, which Naruto estimated to be about a large D-cup. She wore steel toed boots and had black armbands that extended towards her elbows. He could not see what she wore underneath her cloak but he could see that she had raven hair which extended from under her hood.

She had Sasuke's Kusanagi blade strapped unto her back like he did, it's handle catching Naruto's eye. Unlike most shinobi, who would immediately assume defensive positions when a man randomly appeared in a vortex, she simply tilted her head in curiosity. In doing so, Naruto was able to see that she was wearing a silver mask that revealed her dainty mouth and supple lips but hid everything else from view. He idly wondered why she wore a mask but filed those thoughts for another time.

Rising to his feet, Naruto let his right hand slid to rest on his unnamed blade's hilt whilst his left hand offered a lazy wave. "Yo…what could a kunoichi like you be doing at these borders, if you don't mind me asking? Looking at the scenery?"

The masked female just stared at him whilst he waited patiently for her answer. After a few moments of silence, she responded to his question. "No…I'm looking for a new master to claim me."

Naruto was pretty sure that had he been a lesser man he would've been experiencing a severe nosebleed at her answer. Behind him, Samehada was laughing in her own scary way, her scales contracting and relaxing at irregular intervals. Arching a brow, Naruto let a bit of his shock seep into his voice. "…Come again? You're looking for a new master?" At her silent nod, Naruto dared to ask another question. "You're telling me that you're into S&M as well as role-playing?"

She shrugged nonchalantly. "If that is what my master wishes, then I shall follow his instructions to the best of my ability."

Naruto blinked twice. _'Well…I certainly wasn't expecting that reaction. I thought she would at least sputter an excuse or something along those lines.'_

"That's fine and all, but who are you? I am Uzumaki Naruto, former shinobi of Konohagakure." Naruto didn't see the harm in letting her know which village he came from. What he had learned during his time alone was that most shinobi used the villages where their opponents hailed from to know what to expect. Most people from Konohagakure were Fire-natured, Kumogakure had Lightning-natured shinobi, Sunagakure had Wind-natured shinobi, Iwagakure had Earth-natured shinobi and Kirigakure had Water-natured shinobi.

The woman immediately knelt down in reverence, confusing the masked blond. "My apologies, Naruto-sama. I am Uchiha Setsuna, former Ne ANBU of Konohagakure and jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kurame. Please allow me to take care of you."

Naruto felt his brain screech to a halt. "Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no what? Did you just say Kyuubi no Kura_me_?! Don't you mean Kura_ma_? How do you even know his name?" To say Naruto was freaking out would be an apt description. Here was an Uchiha before him, a descendant of that bastard Madara-wait, if he was a part of him, did that make him a bastard as well?-calling herself the Jinchuuriki of what appeared to be a _female_ Kurama.

He was suddenly grateful to the Rikudo Sennin for giving him a male Kyuubi…who knows how he would've survived with a female mass of chakra and hatred?

The wom…Setsuna pulled her hood back, revealing long silky raven hair that had been braided into a ponytail with a red string while two bangs framed her face like Sasuke's did. Her dainty fingers reached to her mask and Naruto tightened his grip on his blade; she gently removed her mask and Naruto could only gape in shock, some horror and a slight bit of amusement.

Her Sharingan was already active, three tomoe swirling around her pupil lazily. She had the same facial structure as her male counterpart yet Naruto could see that that while Sasuke's looks had been somewhat binshonen, Setsuna's was undeniably feminine. Looking into her eyes, Naruto couldn't find the usual hatred he had come to expect in Sasuke; if anything, her eyes greatly resembled that of Haku.

"You…you're a female Sasuke…" On one hand, this was a pretty creepy situation; to see the female counterpart of someone you know is always gonna be weird as fuck. Then again, the parallels between Setsuna and Haku were becoming clearer; like Haku, Setsuna seemed to have lost her Master and couldn't seem to cope with the thought of living her life without one.

"Hai, Uchiha Sasuke is this world's version of me. It is surprising that he abandoned his village for power; something must have happened to make him turn out this way." She stated, still kneeling before him.

"Umm, I don't know why you're kneeling down but can you please get up? It's kinda embarrassing me." He asked.

"Hai, Naruto-sama." She was immediately on her feet, her head still bowed in submission. "When I fought Uchiha Sasuke and the Sannin Orochimaru, his last words before he died was that you would be able to defeat me. All my previous masters have been stronger than I and has become a standard for me; since you are the strongest being in this world, that makes you the only choice for me."

Naruto could feel a headache coming on. "How did you even get here? Was it an accident or was your trip here planned?"

She shook her head. "Negative. I was thrust into this dimension by Itachi-nii via his Mangekyo Sharingan to prevent my capture by the criminal organization 'Daybreak'. I was fully prepared to die but Kurame had other ideas."

"I see…just so I'm clear, what rank are you?"

"I was scheduled to join ANBU the day after we were attacked. At the moment, I would say I am not quite a Jonin but definitely higher than a high-level Chunin without using Kurame's chakra. When I tap into her power, I estimate that I am at least high-Jonin level."

"*sigh* You're not gonna leave me if I told you to, would you?" As he expected, she resolutely shook her head. Rubbing his forehead, Naruto silently motioned for her to grab him. Feeling her lay her hand on his shoulder, he teleported them away to his place.

**-Time skip, 1 Year-**

Uchiha Setsuna watched in curiosity and awe, though her face remained as blank as ever, as her master skillfully drew several seals on the ground. They were in a clearing somewhere within Kumo no Kuni, just outside one of the many hideouts of the deceased Uchiha Obito. Throughout the year, they had traveled from one hideout to another in search of anything that could be of use to them and sealing away those which weren't.

Naruto had initially been skeptical of her reasons for offering herself to him in servitude but, as the weeks passed, he became more used to her presence. Naruto regarded her as a friend of sorts and often drew the line on how far she should cater to his whims; he wasn't going to treat her as Zabuza had initially treated Haku. To him, she also had a right to live her life independent from him…unfortunately, Setsuna vehemently opposed that view, stating that she would follow his to the ends of the earth if he wished.

She crossed her arms as she watched from her perch on a nearby tree, her cloak opening to reveal what she wore underneath; form-fitting black pants with a purple cloth tied around her waist and a navy blue shirt. They were preparing to travel to other dimensions for one reason; the Shinobi Era was as good as dead. With only Genin and a few Chunin left in all the villages, it was only a matter of time before the civilians took over. If they stayed, they would always be feared by the Daimyo and that fear would evolve into hatred. Such was human behavior.

Setting his sealing brush down, Naruto exhaled in relief. The seal he had been working on was very complex, using the principle of Kamui to send them to another world. Apparently there were several dimensions that were in the universe, meaning if he left this world there was a high chance that he would never return. He turned to his servant-he preferred the term helper but she continued to refer to herself as such-and nodded. "The seal is complete. Ready to go?"

"Hai, Naruto-sama." She replied, leaping down from her post. Landing beside him in the center of the seal, she let a small smile cross her face. "Let's be on our way."

"Right." Activating his Mangekyo Sharingan, Naruto started weaving the hand-seals for the jutsu. "By the way, are Sasuke's eyes still in perfect condition?"

Setsuna nodded. Rummaging in her cloak, she pulled out a glass vial which contained two eyes encased in a clear liquid. The eyes had the appearance of three intersecting ellipses with straight pinwheels in the centre and a red design and a black background; Sasuke's Eien no Mangekyo Sharingan. She had harvested them after her battle with both Missing-Nin, preventing any other shinobi from obtaining such powerful eyes.

"Good…when we arrive I will assimilate them into my own eyes. That way, no one else will be able to use them and I will further increase my ocular power. I don't know where we are going to end up and it would be best to have another ace up our sleeve." He found it ironic that a while ago he would have never considered this option yet now he was all for it.

She slipped the vial back into her cloak as the seal lines glowed a crimson light. "Is that why you melded Sasuke's Kusanagi with my Kurohime?" She questioned as she gently grabbed his right arm.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Do you really need me to tell you that?" He asked as he finished the hand-seals. Her response was a giggle before they disappeared in a crimson flash.

**-Fiore, Fairy Tail Guild-**

In the office of Guild Master Makarov, two individuals sat down with serious expressions. The first was an extremely short old man. He had dark eyes and white hair surrounding his balding skull and in a thick mustache, which he hid under a funny jester hat in orange-blue stripes. He was Makarov Dreyar, the master of Fairy Tail. He had his hands folded as he gazed with hidden pride in his eyes at the person in front of him.

She was tall for a thirteen year old. She had long scarlet hair that fell past her shoulders, with two locks framing her face. She wore custom-made armor by Heart Kreuz smiths, a blue skirt and black boots. Her brown eyes stared right into those of Makarov. "Mission complete, Master. The package was delivered as requested."

Makarov chuckled at her serious demeanor. "Good job Erza. Why don't you go take a break; you've been working yourself ragged this week." He suggested.

Erza shook her head vehemently, a tick mark forming. "Not until I beat Mirajane's record! I **will** be the strongest woman in Fairy Tail! That'll show her who the stronger one is!" She growled, her armored hand clenched tightly and earning a sweat-drop from Makarov.

'_Talk about intense…these youngsters are always so full of energy…'_ Makarov silently remarked.

There was no warning. No spike of magical energy, no rampage of animals, no ominous feeling to prepare them for the oppressive weight that they all suddenly felt appear. Just at that moment, a terrifying roar was heard throughout the city that made Makarov pale in fear.

It was the unmistakable roar of a dragon…and not just any dragon. Makarov knew that dragon…the Dragon King himself, Acnologia.

Makarov was out of his seat and opening his window faster than Erza had ever seen him move. She saw him freeze as he looked out and felt a sliver of fear touch her heart as he started trembling. Joining him at the balcony, she saw what exactly made Makarov so afraid…and she couldn't blame him at all.

The dragon was massive, a huge black entity that engulfed the city with its size. It was a mastodonic dragon whose upper body was covered in black round scales, which in turn were decorated by spiraling blue markings. Its lower body was grey in color and appeared to be smooth. Its head was blunt and rounded with four large and elongated plates extending backwards, as well as a mouth full of sharp teeth and below it an elongated protrusion pointing downwards. It's gargantuan, multi-layered wings were made of the same plates covering its body, making them seem like bird wings. Its massive tail split in two at the end and took a double stinger-like appearance. It was staring at two children that stood in the center of the street, right in front of it. Erza spun and started rushing towards the exit but was stopped by a strong grip on her shoulder. "Wait Erza! Something's not right!" Makarov called out, his eyes still fixated upon the Dragon King.

Erza whipped her head to face Makarov, her eyes wide with disbelief and anger. "Master Makarov, the children are in danger! At least let me help evacuate them and those within the vicinity!" Even as she was speaking, Erza saw many mages from the Guild pour out onto the streets, prepared to hold off the dragon.

Makarov shook his head, still not facing her. "It's not that; Acnologia is acting strangly. He hasn't done anything more than make himself known to us…he's just staring at the children."

Tearing her eyes towards the scene, Erza could see that the guild master was right. The dragon was simply staring at the children, more specifically the blond one. Now that Erza got a good look at them, she realized that they were teens, both looking like they were well in the middle of puberty. The girl was wearing a white cloak which revealed only her steel toed boots and the black armbands she had. She was quite attractive; her face was very feminine, equally as beautiful as hers and Mirajane's.

The boy wore a long-sleeved, ankle-length black coat with red lining that was open at his chest and held together by three 'x' shaped marks, then left to flare out into a number of ragged coattails. He also had four vertical black lines on his forearms and black, tattoo-like bands crossing over his chest, wrists and ankles. Similar bands, but with crimson ends, were around his neck as collars. His pants were very streamlined and form-fitting yet hung loosely enough for him to feel comfortable in. She felt herself blush lightly as his sculpted form could be seen through his clothing. A face mask hid most of his face from view and created a mysterious look to him while his shoulder-length golden mane whipped about in the wind. Resting on his left hip was a sheathed katana while a huge greatsword strapped unto his back. _'Wow…he looks so cool!'_ Her blush deepened.

When she finally saw his eyes, she let out a startled gasp; instead of him having normal eyes, he had black sclera and crimson eyes that had a strange design on it. To her, they seemed like three commas that had been arranged in a circular manner. What the heck?

Turning to look at Acnologia, she blinked once, twice and three times to check if she was dreaming by any chance. After confirming that she was indeed lucid, Erza watched in wonder as the same eye she had seen on the boy appear on the Dragon King's eyes. _'Did...did he just cast a spell on the dragon? That's impossible! No mere human could ensnare a dragon such as this one by himself!'_ She watched as the boy said something she couldn't hear and reach towards the dragon's snout, which it brought down for him to touch.

Every mage in Fairy Tail went into various states of shock when they saw the dragon's shape _ripple_. Like a projection, the Dragon King disappeared bit by bit; first losing its tail, spreading towards its legs and stomach, creeping along its forelimbs until only his head remained. After a moment it too disappeared, joining the rest of its departed body. The boy turned his body to face the crowd which had gathered while the girl ignored them and stared at the two mages on the balcony.

"Hey everyone…can you tell us where the hell we are? We're kinda new here, he he he." On that day a legend was born…the legendary Dragon Tamer.

**A/N: This chapter was a BITCH to write; I had to take so many breaks that I felt like I was doing writing Olympics. Anyway, let's get to the good stuff.**

**Setsuna: I deliberately made her background as vague as I could get so that over the course of the story you get to see what exactly contributed to her current situation. Bet you didn't expect me to use an AU female Sasuke, did ya?**

**At the moment, the weapons Naruto has on him are Samehada, Kubikiribōchō, Bakusaiga and Madara's fan. Tetsusaiga will come later in the story.**

**Naruto had other reasons for leaving his world but you'll have to wait and find out later in the story.**

**Now a reviewer asked me to consider adding Ultear to the harem…people may say its becoming too huge but I don't really think so. A harem could range from two women to about fifty; in a few romance novels a friend of mine has read, the harem size is usually above a dozen. So…**

**Updated Harem list:**

**Erza Scarlet**

**Mirajane Strausse**

**Uchiha Setsuna**

**Tayuya**

**Konan**

**Erza Knightwalker**

**Juvia Lockser**

**Lucy Heartfilia**

**Ultear Milkovich**

**Please note that Samui will be relegated to the position of 'servant'. No matter how I try and play teir situation, it just might not work out between them.**

**Did anybody catch the latest issue of Naruto? Apparently the Juubi has a perfect form which it is about to transform into…can anyone face-palm with me? Also, what's taking Sasuke so long to join the brawl? Why do I even give a fuck? LOL…but seriously, has anyone wondered what exactly the other Bijuu gave Naruto? I'm not sure if its their will and chakra or something like Itachi's crow which has a much needed power-up…**

**Also, the Itachi from Setsuna's world has the Mangekyo that Obito has. This is a different world we're talking about so it wouldn't really make sense for a few traits to not be switched around or changed completely. More light will be shed on 'Daybreak' and what they had planned to do with Setsuna.**

**The events leading to Acnologia's appearance will be elaborated on in the next chapter.**

**Please note that only those on the battlefield were assimilated into the new Naruto; Sasuke and Orochimaru were on their way towards the 'man who knows everything' aka Masashi Kishimoto, Tsunade and the Kage are dead (come on, do you expect her to bring them all back to health when she's losing blood quickly from the bisection of her legs?) and the remaining shinobi are merely Genin with a few Chunin scattered about. Suigetsu and Juugo parted ways after fruitlessly searching for Sasuke as well.**

**Review! My exams are over, so let me bask in your comments! **

**MaelstromBankai.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Fairy Tail or any other anime and manga that appears in this fanfic of mine. If I did, I would not be here writing fan fiction would I?**

**Chapter 3: Meet the Guild**

The streets, which had been a roar of chaos and panic a mere moment ago, were now as silent and lifeless as a cemetery. Many people, mages and even spirits openly gaped at the blond teen and what he had just achieved. Those who had no idea of Acnologia's position of Dragon King were amazed that he was able to subdue the massive beast while Makarov and a few other spirits exchanged nervous glances. Taming a Dragon, something that had _**never**_ been considered in the history of Fiore, and sealing it away with nothing more than a look? Makarov could only hope that the boy would not be seduced by the lull of darkness because of this.

In the crowd of Fairy Tail mages, four teens stared at the blond boy and raven-haired girl with varying expressions. The first one, a boy of about 12 years, had a combined look of disappointment, awe and terror at what he had just witnessed. He was lean, slightly muscular with an average height. His skin was lightly tanned and his eyes were jet-black. His spiky pink hair seemed to defy the law of gravity, sticking out in every direction like he had never seen a brush before. He wore a black waistcoat with gold trimmings over his chest with no undershirt, white knee-length trousers, a thick black wristband on his left wrist, black open-toed sandals and a scarf which was decorated with white scales. Sitting on his shoulder was a small blue cat-like creature that was busy eating a fish. "Wow…that guy took care of the Dragon so easily! I definitely gotta challenge him before he leaves!" The boy declared, pumping his fist into the air.

The cat creature nodded its head comically, still eating the fish. "Aye! But Natsu, if he could beat that Dragon, what sort of chance do you stand against him? You're doomed if you fight him!"

Natsu shot the cat a dirty look. "Way to show your friend some support, Happy." He sarcastically stated, his voice dry.

"I try my best to deliver."

"Bastard!"

The second boy, looking to be around the same age as the first, shot Natsu an annoyed look. Unlike everyone else, he was dressed in only green pants and black boots. His most prominent feature was his spiky black-coloured hair. He had dark blue eyes and his body was quite toned. On his right pectoral muscle was a dark blue stamp in the shape of a bird. A necklace, which resembled a sword with a stone in it, hung around his neck. "Be quiet Natsu. You can't even defeat me and you wanna deal with that guy? And you wonder why I call you an idiot, lizard breath."

Natsu, who had been administering a noogie to Happy, whirled about to face the apparent exhibitionist. "What'd you call me Gray?! At least I'm not an exhibitionist who can't take the heat, asshole!"

As the two boys began to bicker once again, the latter of the group watched as Erza and Makarov came out of the gates, the latter heading towards the unknown strangers and the former moving towards their group. The first girl wore a gothic-looking overly revealing outfit. She donned a dark, skimpy sleeveless shirt adorned by some light curved motifs on the chest, a pair of leather shorts held up by a studded belt with a demonic-looking buckle and thigh-high boots with stiletto heels, each bearing a skull adorned by a flower on their upper front parts. She also sported a bracelet-shaped like a demonic arm around her right wrist, a ring on the same hand's middle finger and dark nail polish. Her large blue eyes never strayed from the blond, who was engaged by the master, and her long white hair swayed as she shifted from one foot to another. Her hair was tied in a high, large ponytail on the back of her head by a massive dark ribbon but allowed a large strand of it to cover her forehead while two bangs framing her face and reaching down to her chest. She folded her arms as a leer spread on her face. "That guy seems pretty cute, doesn't he Lisanna?"

The final person of interest could only be described as the previous girl's sister. She was a petite young girl with short white hair and blue eyes. She wore a simple pink dress paired with dark red shoes. "Mira-nee…" She sighed tiredly, though one could see her cheeks flushing lightly.

Erza soon drew near them, her face set in a scowl that the elder sister was eager to return. "Mirajane." She stiffly acknowledged.

"Scarlet." Mirajane responded, just as dryly as her redheaded rival, inclining her head in a manner that passed as greetings. Turning just in time to witness the boy and Master Makarov head up to his office, she let out a small huff of displeasure. "Darn it…I wanted to talk to the cutie before he went with Jiji." She whined, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Like he would ever want to talk to _you_ of all people." Erza bit out, her eyes narrowed. Suddenly, a hand landed on her shoulder, scaring the three girls into making startled jumps. When Erza spun around, she found herself looking into the eyes of the female who had been with the male, a calculating onyx colour. Jerking her shoulder away, Erza responded with a glare towards the unknown girl.

"Sorry to disturb your conversation, but can you please inform me of where Naruto and I are?" Her voice cut through the bickering of the boys, drawing their attention towards the girls. As Natsu and Gray fully turned to them, Lisanna took the initiative in answering Setsuna's question.

"Well, you're in Fairy Tail, the only Guild in Magnolia Town. Surely you've heard of it before…we, uh, sorta have a bad reputation." She admitted in embarrassment, shooting a pointed look towards Natsu. Said boy whistled innocently whilst avoiding her gaze, making Setsuna arch a brow.

"What's a Guild?" Setsuna asked, storing the earlier information away in her head. She quirked her head when everyone, Happy included, looked at her as though she had suddenly sprouted two heads. "What is it?"

Erza sighed tiredly. _'I wonder if Master Makarov is having any better luck with the other guy than we are…'_

**-Makarov's Office-**

In the master's office, Makarov rubbed his head in frustration while Naruto, sitting opposite him and sipping sake in front of him, smiled disarmingly. The old Master opened his eyes to mock-glare at the youth in front of him. The story he had just heard was very hard to swallow; to hear of things like shinobi, chakra, Akatsuki and the progenitor of that world being revived…one could easily understand his skeptic views. "So…you're telling me that you come from another world; a world constantly filled with constant warfare and subterfuge?"

Naruto nodded, settling his cup down, his eyes gaining a serious light. "Hai. Two years before I attempted to leave, we were in the midst of the Fourth Great Shinobi War. No, the better word would be 'climax'. All shinobi nations allied themselves against the real leader of Akatsuki, a man named Uchiha Obito, and his partner Uchiha Madara, a legend amongst the Shinobi World." His eyes shifted to Madara's Eien no Mangekyo Sharingan, unknowingly sending a jolt of surprise down Makarov's spine. "They planned to revive the Juubi, a primordial demon which was the progenitor of my world which was defeated by the Sage of Six Paths, and use its power to cast an infinite illusion upon the world using the moon as a medium."

Makarov twirled his moustache as he listened in fascination. "Why would they want to do that? Were they planning to enslave everyone in your world or did they have an even grander scheme in the works?" A part of him was still skeptical about all this but he could not deny that there was some merit with young Naruto's story. He had never seen any kind of magic that was capable of casting such an illusion on the world nor had he seen or heard of such strange eyes before.

Naruto scowled as he recalled the motivations of the Uchiha. "Obito watched the love of his life die before his very eyes, at the hands of the person he entrusted her to no less, and joined Madara in his attempt to carry out the Eye of the Moon plan so he could be reunited with her again. Madara, on the other hand, wanted a world where the concept of 'winners' never existed, meaning his constant loss to Senju Hashirama wouldn't matter anymore. He also desired a world where peace had no meaning; a world filled with even more bloodshed and carnage than the Elemental Nations were already going through."

Makarov let out a sigh. "He was a war-monger, wasn't he?" He had seen many of that type throughout his years and knew that instigating a war would be something that this Madara would do.

"Yep. In order for them to achieve this, they needed to capture all the Bijuu that were scattered in the Nations. Obito, charged with impersonating Madara after his death, manipulated several shinobi into joining his cause, though he stayed in the shadows for a pretty long time. Whilst he was out of the picture, the figurehead leader of Akatsuki was the one who jostled the extraction of the Bijuu instead." Naruto rested his head on his hands, his eyes closed as he continued his tale. "They eventually succeeded, though the Juubi was incomplete; they needed the entire Bijuu for it to be complete but failed to get the Hachibi and Kyuubi. The only reason the Juubi was revived was because Obito managed to grab a portion of their chakra for the ritual."

He stopped, poured himself another cup of sake and downed it all without a care in the world. Makarov couldn't decide if he should be amused or displeased with the boy's drinking tendency. "I'm not sure what the legal age for you was in your world, but in Earth Land a kid your age isn't allowed to be drinking sake and alcoholic drinks for quite some time." He pleasantly stated, a smile tugging at his lips.

Naruto just shrugged. "Old enough to kill, old enough to drink and old enough to fuck…so you could say my 'legal age' would be twelve. You don't happen to have any stronger stuff in your bar, do ya?" Makarov let out a long boisterous laugh, his tiny figure shaking in glee.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're a very interesting boy?"

"All the damn time."

**-Fairy Tail, Ground Floor-**

Meanwhile, Erza and the others continued their interaction with Setsuna. After getting over the shock of someone not knowing what a Guild was, they had proceeded to drill her with the various details regarding magic, guilds and dark guilds, dragons and anything else they could think of. The redhead frowned as she watched Setsuna converse with Mirajane and Gray. _'She doesn't act like any civilian…yet her movements and body language don't reveal anything about her…'_

Her eyes narrowed as she glimpsed the sword which was strapped unto her back. The sword was pretty small compared to a few of her own blades but Erza could tell that it wasn't the size of the blade that made it dangerous. She would have to see the blade itself to determine what exactly it was that made it special…perhaps a spar was in order?

Natsu's voice cut through her thoughts and dragged her into their conversation. "So, Setsuna, who's that other guy you were with? He must be really strong, huh! I mean, did you see how he took care of that dragon? It was so freaking awesome!" He questioned, his eyes wide with curiosity and awe as he recalled the scene once more.

Mirajane turned herself towards the former Shinobi with interest as well. "Yeah, the cutie seems strong…he your boyfriend or something?" She teased. Erza could have sworn that she heard a slight change in Mira's question, though she found herself interested in the answer as well._ 'It's not like I like him or anything; I just want to find out if they have any illicit relationship going on…yeah.'_ She was quite interested in the boy already and it would be bad if Setsuna was his girlfriend and she came between them because she didn't know.

Setsuna shook her head in response. "Naruto-sama is not my boyfriend. He is my master and I am his tool. His every wish is my command and I will do them to the best of my abilities." She replied as she received her cup of steaming herbal tea from Lisanna, who had decided to offer her a drink. "Thank you for the tea, Lisanna-san."

The group, minus Lisanna who had been brewing Setsuna's tea for her, all gaped at her with varying degrees of incredulousness. Natsu and Happy actually appeared to be frozen in place, their mouths hanging in identical expressions of shock, while Gray had a mild blush on his face as he averted his eyes from her. Lisanna looked confused as to why the boys were acting this strangely.

Mirajane actually looked surprised at the answer she received, going so far as to drop the slice of bread she was about to bite. She quickly recovered and leaned forward, a sly smile stretched on her angelic face. "Oh? You guys role-play, huh? Well isn't that interesting…do you mind if I join in?" She asked, a little too eagerly in Erza's opinion.

Setsuna's eyes narrowed as a minute amount of Killing Intent oozed out of her being, projected towards the elder Strauss. "Naruto-sama requires only one tool and I shall not allow him to be saddled with anything less than adequate. You are not worthy of being his weapon." The visage of a snarling fox appeared behind her, it's maw wide open and displaying several rows of sharp teeth, further enhancing the glare she sent towards Mirajane.

Said girl also released her K.I as she bristled at Setsuna's words. "You mind repeating that again, bitch?" Her tone was colder than an iceberg, and earning a wide berth from the spectators watching the two girls. "Are you implying that I am weak? You think you're stronger than me?" She growled out, barely resisting from smashing Setsuna's face into the ground.

"I don't think so, I know so. Naruto-sama deserves only the best…and that clearly isn't you." Setsuna smirked at the end as she watched the murderous look on Mirajane's face grow. _'Kurame-chan, do you mind if I happen to call upon your chakra during the bout?'_

'_**Of course you can. She tried to take your place beside Naruto-san, your Alpha…just don't finish it quickly. I want to savor this 'fight'.' **_

'_Of course.'_

**-Makarov's Office-**

"So why did Acnologia appear in Magnolia Town? Was it somehow related to your crossing into this world?" Makarov questioned, his eyes probing and curious. "Speaking of which, what exactly did you do to the Dragon King?"

Naruto blinked in confusion. "That sorry excuse of a Dragon is this world's Dragon King? Bahamut-sama would either be laughing his scaly ass off or raring to go teach the other Dragons a lesson…" He murmured. "Well, I'm not really sure if my time-space seal was the trigger for Anco…Alcon…the scaly-ass's appearance but I'm sure it factored into the situation. When we crossed over here, I didn't immediately end up beside Setsuna…I ended up in a huge cave, staring at the scaly-ass. He went on a rant about him being the strongest being in the world and talking trash about humans being insignificant worms that were beneath him. To be honest, I actually spaced out more than a few times during his monologue before I got bored and teleported to Setsuna's location, which just happened to be this place."

He shifted in his seat, finishing off the rest of his sake in one go. "I'm pretty sure he followed me using his own time-space ability because I left during his little speech. Being a 'Dragon King', it must be a first for someone to ignore him like that and he probably couldn't play it off well."

Makarov scratched his chin as he contemplated his words. _'It's true that Acnologia could have come after him for such a reason; he always spoke about how humans were insects to be exterminated by him and to be ignored by an 'insect' would definitely ignite his fury. However, I feel that there is more to it than just that…what are you hiding, Uzumaki Naruto?' _"You never said what it was you did to him back there…" Makarov pointed out.

Naruto nodded his head, thinking of how much he should reveal. After quickly selecting the information 'safe' to reveal, Naruto tapped the desk as a small grin made its appearance on his face. "Well, for you to understand what I did, I'll have to go over a few basic concepts that you'll need to know." He held up his index finger. "First concept: Bloodline Limits. These are abilities passed down genetically within specific clans. There are a few more details to it but that's the basic gist of it." His middle finger joined his index one, signifying the second concept. "Second thing you need to know: the Mangekyo Sharingan. This is an advanced version of the Sharingan, an eye-based Bloodline Limit, and is the reason I was able to subdue Acnogi…Agnoli…you know what? Screw it, I'll call him Scaly-ass from now on…yeah, anyway, what I did was to activate my Mangekyo Sharingan and use one of its signature jutsu to send him into an entirely different dimension."

Hearing the boy talk about sending the King of Dragons into another dimension without any regret whatsoever made Makarov slightly worried. "Naruto-san…" He began, "I'm not sure you understand the situation. Without Acnologia in this world, the natural order of the Dragons will spiral out of control and they might even take their frustrations out on us humans." He finished, his tone grave.

Naruto arched a brow. "Well…when you put it that way, it does sound bad. However, I think you forgot to include the fact that he can also use time-space abilities to escape from whichever dimension he is in right now. If that happens, I'm very sure he will keep quiet about him being outmaneuvered by a mere human; his pride may actually help in this circumstance."

At that moment, both men felt a tremor through the floor. Makarov only sighed in exasperation while Naruto watched in confusion. Seeing the young boy's lost expression, Makarov let out a wry chuckle. "It seems like my kids have started another fight; at this rate, I'm going to be swarmed by mountains of paperwork by the council." He groaned.

Naruto let out a barking laugh as he stood from his seat and started cracking his knuckles. "Did anyone tell you that you guys are crazy, old man? Samehada, its time to eat!" He cried out, gripping the greatsword on his back. With a shit-eating grin settling on his face, Naruto channeled chakra into his feet and leaped towards the door, kicking it open and speeding towards the fighting that was taking place.

The dwarf-like Guild Master sighed once more. _'I completely forgot to ask if he would join us…ah well, I can always do that later in the day. I wonder if he has some more of that wonderful sake?'_

**-Fairy Tail, Ground Floor-**

Setsuna dodged a straight punch that was sent her way with the ease of one who honed their skills by countless hours of training. Mirajane did not let that deter her from following up with a spinning low kick as she fell forward, using her hand to balance herself as a makeshift platform. She narrowed her eyes in victory as Setsuna jumped to avoid her strike, just as she planned. Using the momentum generated from her spinning kick, Mirajane spun around on the spot, her natural flexibility allowing her to fire off a double boot strike to Setsuna.

Unfortunately for Mirajane, Setsuna managed to twist her body away from the deadly stiletto heels and land safely away from her. She made no move to attack, opting to shrug off her cloak to prevent it restricting her movements. She felt Kurame's bloodlust emanating from the seal, silently begging her to use Kurohime on the white haired girl. _'Sorry, but Naruto-sama wouldn't like it if I killed anyone…maybe when she's older.' _It was hard to tell if she was being serious or not.

On the sidelines, Natsu and Gray watched the fight with increasing interest while Erza sat in a corner, thinking over Setsuna's words. _'She willingly offered herself to him? Why would she do that?'_ Images of her time as a slave started forming in her mind; being forced to work for many hours during the day and receiving so little to feed themselves, losing her right eye in order to protect the others…Jellal… _'What is it about him that made her choose him as her…' _On one hand, she could sorta understand where Setsuna was coming from. The ravenette had, for as long as she could remember, been leashed with someone she came to acknowledge as her master. If she were to deviate from such a lifestyle, she would most likely be lost and unsure of what to do with her life. On the other hand, Erza could not help but want to blame Naruto for accepting Setsuna as his 'weapon' even though she knew she was being biased.

Back to the fight, Setsuna dashed towards Mirajane with her body tucked to the ground. She leaped over the tables and chairs that obstructed her path and twisted in midair to fling a few kunai at Mirajane, and try an overhead kick towards Mirajane's head.

Mirajane threw herself away from the kunai, ignoring the cries made by the others as a few struck a bit too close for comfort, and blocked Setsuna's kick. Seizing the opportunity presented, she brutally slammed her fist in Setsuna's inner thigh, using her magic energy to temporarily strengthen her arm tenfold.

Setsuna let out a grunt of pain before she felt her thigh bone fracture before violently headbutting Mirajane. Jumping back to give herself some space, she blurred through several hand-seals. Holding her left arm out, she let the lightning chakra flow through her tenketsu and blaze around her hand. "Chidori (One Thousand Birds)."

Mirajane slammed her right hand unto the floor, causing several rock particles to encase her limb. An excited smirk crossed her face as she prepared to charge. Who could've thought that the strange girl would be so good at fighting? Mirajane didn't know how that happened, but she didn't care. Now she had another rival besides Erza who could even push her to even greater heights of strength! Someone who had the capability to defeat her! "Not too bad…but I still don't see what it is that makes you so tough."

Both girls charged towards each other, ignoring the shouts of spectators as they neared each other. When they were less that fifty centimeters from each other, both drew their fists back…

A shout interrupted Erza's thoughts before a crash resounded in the room. Turning her eyes to where Setsuna and Mirajane were fighting, Erza was gifted with the sight of Naruto blocking Setsuna's lightning infused hand with his sword while his left hand caught Mirajane's rock-encased fist. "Yare, yare…is this how you greet everyone you see or is it just me?"

**A/N: I'm sorry if you guys feel like I'm ignoring my other fics but I just had to get this one out of my system before shifting to the others. Now that I have inspiration for ALL my fics ( That's right, Saiyan Vizard, Inari and The Return of a Legend WILL be updated before, during and after Christmas), I can start on them by the weekend.**

**Unfortunately for fans of 'The Return of a Legend'…my first story is, regrettably, coming to an end. I plan on ending it after two more arcs; however, those two arcs may span at least another ten or so chapters so I suppose it wouldn't be so bad.**

**Primordial Transcendent is already being worked on, should be done by next week. I've not decided on the final harem list but confirmed members will be made known in the next chapter. I'm also skipping the whole 'Sea of Monsters' bit; since Thalia won't be turning into a tree, there would be no need for Luke to poison it in an attempt to force the Campers to search for the Fleece. Also, Luke won't be under Kronos's control…but that doesn't mean he won't be working with the Titan…or does it? After a bit of thinking, I decided to make the Hunters welcome Naruto as the only exception to their 'no boy' rule; he could be their big brother figure though that might change over time…**

**For this story, those who question how Tayuya and Konan will appear in Fiore…all I can give as a hint is that Naruto stayed in the Elemental Nations for TWO YEARS before he left; a lot of things could have happened that I haven't revealed just yet, so please bear with me. I'll make Naruto forge Tetsusaiga sometime after Team Natsu is formed…probably a few months after that, I'm not sure which arc I should pick for it to happen. Those saying that Erza and the others are acting OOC, I'm very sorry but I just started getting into Fairy Tail and the furthest I've watched/read would be the whole Lullaby situation. Any further information I've managed to find is from other fanfics that I've read. People have been asking me to put even more women into the harem…sorry, but I can only allow ONE more candidate for Naruto's harem. **

**Review, review, review. It helps in my writing and story construction. Also, can someone explain how magic in Fairy Tail works? Is it like chakra, where if it runs out the person dies or something else? **

**On another note, a Naruto/Bleach crossover idea struck me…don't worry, I won't start that one until next year…and the harem members will be:**

**Yoruichi (Always found her hot as hell)**

**Matsumoto Rangiku (This doesn't seem as popular as a few other pairings I've seen)**

**Senna (Wind Users UNITE!)**

**Nel- Teen and Adult (Saw it in a doujin somewhere and it seemed fun)**

**Harribel**

**Lisa (Perverts UNITE!)**

**Orihime (I wonder how far I can change her character yet make it believable…)**

**Female Ichigo (Was interested in this particular pairing after reading 'Kitsune Soul Reaper' by The Swordslinger. You guys should try a few of his fics, they're pretty good)**

**Unohana (Another rare pairing)**

**And maybe that Fullbringer…the one who used that dollhouse, can't really remember her name.**

**Ja Ne…and don't forget to review!**

**P.S. Tell me what you think of the Bleach harem list as well.**

**MaelstromBankai**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Fairy Tail and any other anime or manga that appears in this fic. If I did, I would be super-rich and wouldn't be worrying about school so much…and I would be working on another project than this chapter.**

**Chapter 4: Demon King vs. Salamander!**

Naruto peered at the girl Setsuna had been fighting before he had intervened, his eyes continuously being drawn to her beautiful white hair. She was glaring at him in frustration, the frustration of being denied the chance of defeating her foe, and pushing against his offending limb in an effort to force him back. Unfortunately for her, Naruto was far stronger than he appeared to be and easily held her fist steadily.

Naruto swiveled his head to stare at Setsuna, Samehada happily munching on the lightning chakra. "Setsuna…you mind explaining why you two were fighting?" The young girls of the guild, Erza included, all blushed lightly at his voice; unlike the other adolescents, Naruto's voice wasn't so deep that it was weird nor was it as high-pitched as a late bloomer like Natsu…it could best be described as 'smooth and silky, yet manly'. Setsuna felt a tick mark develop as she caught the very light dusting of pink on Mirajane's cheeks.

"Strauss-san wished to be Naruto-sama's tool…unfortunately, she is nowhere near strong enough to best me and is therefore unworthy of replacing me as your servant. She did not handle the truth well and started the fight…I was merely going along with it." Naruto often wondered how she could say stuff like that with a straight face. Setsuna, having removed her hand once Samehada finished ingesting her chakra, retrieved her cloak and wrapped it around herself.

The other mages all looked at the scene before them with discernable confusion and, in the case of the younger ones, hidden jealousy. The male half were slightly jealous that the new guy already had one pretty girl as a 'servant' and was already sinking his claws into the hearts of the girls while the females were more than a little annoyed at Setsuna's attitude.

Naruto scratched his head with his right arm, dropping Samehada with the utmost care, and let out a little sigh. Somehow, inexplicably, Naruto knew that something like this wasn't going to be a one-time deal. _'Dad…Mom…for once, I wish my luck was different. I can already feel the headache of dealing with them…pretty sure Mom would approve though.'_

Quickly becoming frustrated with her lack of success, Mirajane decided that it was time to make herself be heard. "Oi! Do you mind getting your hand off me before you start getting into your moment?" She barked out, whacking Naruto's head with her other hand. However, despite all the fuss she was displaying, Mirajane didn't really mind the position she was in. Reason? Now she could admire the boy up close and still keep her image as the 'Demon' of Fairy Tail. Before, she wouldn't have given a single fuck but ever since puberty, her hormones had literally opened her eyes to the discovery of boys _**not **_being as ugly as she had once thought.

Naruto was quite as handsome as she had imagined, using the brief glance she had seen before he went with Makarov. The upper half of his clothing clung to his tall frame like a second skin, revealing long lean yet muscular arms that sent pleasant shivers racing through her. The coat was opened at the chest, revealing the red undershirt that lay beneath it as well a magnificent view of his abs, and flared out in a number of ragged coattails in a manner that increased his 'cool factor'. She had also found the claws that he possessed to be rather intriguing and the tattoos that she could make out each time he shifted labeled him as a 'bad boy' in her book. The mask that covered his lower face also intrigued her to no end.

She hid a smirk at the thought. Bad boys were always fun to hang out with…maybe Naruto wouldn't mind if she spent some time with him?

Naruto realized then that he was still gripping Mirajane's hand and released it with a sheepish laugh. "Sorry about that; I was trying to stop you two but wanted to show off as well…hope you don't mind me postponing your fight with Setsuna…uh…" He paused, clearly not knowing the girl before him.

"Mirajane Strauss, the strongest female mage in Fairy Tail. You're not so bad yourself, _Naruto-sama_." She coyly replied, striking a rather daring pose before him while discretely flipping the middle finger to Setsuna. Naruto idly noted that she had the makings of a curvaceous body and would definitely grow to become a very beautiful woman.

"…I take it that Setsuna already made mention of me, did she?" He asked, already guessing what she must have said. Scanning the crowd with a disinterested gaze, Naruto arched a brow when he saw two boys fighting in the sea of mage members.

"Yes…she did say something about being your tool. Care to explain that, Naruto-san?" Naruto turned to see an angry-looking redhead march her way towards him, her hands on her developing hips and a gleam in her eye that did not bode well for many. Naruto looked into her brown eyes lazily, a book inexplicably materializing in his hands.

"You say something, Benihime? I didn't quite catch that…" He lazily replied, slowly fanning himself with his book. It was indeed satisfying to see the redhead gain a tick mark, clearly trying to suppress her urge to bash his head in. He absently wondered if he should freak everyone out by eating without removing his mask…Kakashi must've had a reason for doing that repeatedly.

"I said," Everyone could tell by her voice that she was quickly getting frustrated with the new boy, "that perhaps you should explain what Setsuna meant by that, Naruto-_san_." Erza nearly growled out, her frustration at his attitude combined with the fact that Mirajane was making rude gestures at her behind Naruto's back making her ruder than she normally would be.

Naruto snapped his book, humming to a tune that both girls couldn't recognize. "Isn't it rude to demand something from someone without even introducing yourself first?"

Erza was about to reply, her face flushing slightly at her forgetfulness, when Mirajane smoothly slid between the two, cutting the redhead mage off. "Don't waste your breath on Erza here; she gets this way almost all the time. In fact, why don't I introduce you to everyone?" Erza gained a tick mark at her rival's interruption.

"Like he'd want to be introduced to anyone by a little devil like you. Now move and let him answer my question." Erza said as she none too gently shoved the goth girl away from the boy, who was watching the proceedings with slight confusion and amusement. "So? Why does she call you her 'master'?" She questioned, trying to make it sound as nonchalant as possible. That might've worked if she was a lot more sociable, but alas, that was not to be. Her brown eyes had unintentionally darted away from his the minute she uttered the question and her voice had betrayed the sadness, angry and accusing emotions she felt.

Naruto noticed her actions and silently came to the conclusion that Erza had some history regarding slavery. Whether she had taken part in it, had been forced into it, or had been a slave herself was something he did not want to ask about. He too had kept most of his secrets from Makarov during their little chat after all. "Setsuna refers to me as her master because she wishes to call me that. Despite what she says, I'm more like her close friend than her master." He replied, lazily flipping through the pages of his sealing book. _'Hmm…this lightning seal could be enhanced if I change the last sign from 'contain' to 'contain indefinitely'. 'Contain' is too vague for it to be reliable…it might even end up activating when I wouldn't need to use it but 'contain indefinitely' will allow me to choose the time I use it and make it suit my situation.'_

Erza's eyes narrowed suspiciously as she crossed her arms. "And why does she do that? What possible reason would she have to call you that?" She further questioned, quickly getting frustrated with his laid-back attitude.

Naruto continued going through various seals in his book whilst he answered her question. "From what she's told me, that's how she's been raised to live. She seeks out a new 'master' when the previous one dies and always goes after the strongest person within a certain age group. Surprisingly, she hasn't been ordered into any carnal acts so I guess she doesn't just pick any person who happens to be the strongest though she doesn't mind doing them for her master." He paused his reading to focus his eyes on her. "If you want to know more about Setsuna and her relationship with me, I would strongly recommend that you ask her yourself."

And with that said, Naruto nonchalantly flashed his hand out and caught a speeding Mirajane by her waist. The sudden stop caused him to lurch forward, surprising him with the force Mirajane had packed into her leap, and tripping against a startled Erza. Before anything embarrassing could happen, Naruto sent a pulse of chakra to his feet to stop his incoming fall. Sticking to the wooden floor, Naruto hastily swung Mirajane unto his back and grabbed Erza with his left hand, taking care to avoid any damage to his sealing book…he didn't want to be responsible for all the damage a careless mistake could make.

Mirajane blinked in confusion when she found herself resting on Naruto's back, instead of feeling her feet embedded in her rival's gut. The confusion lasted briefly before her mind caught up with the fact that an opportunity was right in front of her. Without pausing to think of anything else, the Demon of Fairy Tail immediately wrapped her arms around his chest and pressed her blossoming bust unto his back whilst she discretely rubbed his hard muscles. _'Oh wow…they feel so hard and strong. I wanna stay like this forever…_' She thought to herself as her fingers trailed across his chest. A smirk grew on her face as she felt a hard nub and she wasted no time in grabbing it painfully with her fingers. "ATOMIC TWISTER!" She yelled as she violently twisted his nipples with the brute strength that made her feared within the guild.

"Yeaaaaaaaargggghhhh!" Naruto screamed as he felt her nails digging into his anatomy. Most would think that since he survived the assimilation jutsu anything else would be nothing more than a mosquito bite…well, that was indeed true, but Naruto had hardly been 'attacked' in that area before…as such, that area was a tad bit more sensitive than he would've liked. He jerked violently, accidentally causing her to tighten his grip as he bucked.

Setsuna, who had been watching them talk whilst making some small conversation with Lisanna, decided that she should help her master out. Using a burst of pure speed, she weaved her way through the crowd, jumping off the shoulders of the other members and the furniture, and struck at the white haired girl's sides with a few lightning fast jabs. An uncharacteristic squeal was heard from Mirajane as she let go and rubbed her sides, landing on her feet with ease.

She turned to see Setsuna glaring at her and frowned as she took a step forward. "What was that for, ya idiot? Can't stand to see me getting chummy with Naruto-kun?" She teased, intentionally adding the '-kun' suffix in an attempt to rile up the level-head Uchiha.

She received a harsh smack to the head by Erza, who had a tick mark on her head while her cheeks were slightly flushed. "That's what you get for acting like a psycho…now apologise to Naruto-san." She demanded. The blonde had told her nothing but the truth and she wanted their friendship to start off on a new leaf…what better way to do that than to stick up for him in his time of need?

Before Mirajane could retort, she stiffened when she felt two strong arms wrap themselves around her stomach and grab her developing breasts. Arching a brow, she turned to aim a smug grin at both Erza and Setsuna. "Wow…not even an hour and you wanna do such naughty things to me? At least you've got good taste in women." She giggled as she placed her hands on his, pushing them further unto her boobs.

She didn't know whether she should be pleased that Naruto wanted to touch her growing B-cups or pissed that he had touched them without her permission…but the K.I. she felt emanating from the blond behind her did not ease her at all. In fact, she felt uncharacteristically frightened…for she could see the terrified faces of the other mages in front of her, the slight tremble Setsuna's body made and the wide, frightened eyes of Lisanna and Erza. Heck, even Natsu and Gray had stopped fighting and were huddling together, their arms wrapped around the other while Happy was nowhere to be seen.

"Mira~jaaaane…that wasn't very nice…" Naruto's voice breathed into her ear, temporarily sending pleasurable tingles of electricity running down her back. "That's why…" She gulped as she felt his fingers twitch, "I'm gonna show you…that payback…" She had a really bad feeling about this… "IS A BITCH! DOUBLE REVENGE TWISTER!" He roared as his fingers clamped unto_ her_ nipples, pinching with enough force to earn a painful scream from the Demon of Fairy Tail.

"KYYYAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" Mirajane screamed as she felt the pain explode from her sensitive nipples. Literally leaping out of his hands, she backed away from the blond with wide shocked eyes whilst her hands were wrapped around her chest. "Y-You pinched my nips! What the hell?!" She nearly yelled as she pointed a shaking finger towards him.

Naruto just chuckled darkly, his bangs casting a shadow over his eyes that enhanced the creepiness of the situation. "You ask why? I'm not a person who'll just take whatever you dish out to me…the next time you try something like that again, I won't hesitate to do the same to you…_**Mira-chan**_." A Hanya mask appeared just behind the boy's face, a deep and terrifying voice resonating with Naruto's to produce a positively creepy voice. The mask was black and had four white spike-shaped marks stretched, two of them stopping by the forehead and the other two stretching past the eyes and teeth, going past the chin. There were also small marks resembling a heart, but with the top and bottom open, extending from the inner corners of its eyes. It had no eyes, nothing but an endless black tunnel in them.

What really scared everyone, as well as infuriated Setsuna, was the awed yet frightened look on Mirajane's face. Naruto was already scarier than Erza…but being able to frighten the dreaded Demon of Fairy Tail herself? That was bad news.

Makarov, who had been quietly watching the events play before him from his perch atop the stairs, let out a chuckle. _'That boy's going to be a real lady-killer by the time he hits fifteen…makes me wonder how long it'll take for him to get a fan club…'_ Deciding it was time to step in to prevent any more alterations, Makarov leaped from the stairs and landed right in front of Naruto, who let up on his K.I. until there was no trace of it anywhere.

Quirking an eyebrow, Naruto removed Samehada from the floor and ignored her complaining. "What're you doing here? Don't you have more paperwork to attend to?" He questioned as he strapped Samehada unto his back.

Makarov waved the question away. "To be honest, I was up there watching your little 'bonding moment' back there…and I was wondering if you'd be interested in joining our Guild." He paused to take a puff of smoke from his pipe. "Fairy Tail has indeed been regarded as a popular choice for mages because we've produced so many spectacular mages in history; however, my grandson Laxus has a point about needing new blood in the Guild."

"Fairy Tail hasn't been producing many noteworthy mages these past few years. Apart from a few special individuals, most mages only manage to hit A-Class nowadays. S-Class mages have become even rarer than before and, from what you told me of your abilities, you could easily make that level. Hell, you might even be the first SS-Class member of the Guild." He stated unflinchingly, his voice conveying the strength of his belief. "Will you join us Naruto, Setsuna? The Guild is more than just a place for mages to work; it's also one big family and I'm sure everyone would love to have you join." He asked.

Naruto cocked a brow. "If the Guild is one big family, doesn't that mean that anyone who joins is immediately family-zoned? If that's the case, then life must suck here for all the adult members." He asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

Everyone face-faulted, Setsuna being the exception since she had also kinda wondered about that, and Makarov crawled to his feet, muttering darkly about the youth and how they were oversexed these days. "There isn't a policy that prevents any intimate relationships from happening so you won't have to worry about that." Makarov assured. "The only policy we have that you need to take note of is our policy against killing." His eyes grew cold and commanding, no longer projecting an image of a grandfather-figure. Naruto had to admit, Makarov's 'Guild Mode' was almost identical to the 'Kage Mode' he had seen Baa-chan use. "If there is no other option left for your survival, I wouldn't really mind if you kill your enemies. However, if you intentionally murder someone in cold-blood, you will be immediately expelled from the Guild and charged a hefty fine. Depending on the severity of the judges, you can spend at least two years and at most the rest of your life in jail."

Naruto nodded solemnly. "Don't worry about that. Setsuna and I won't kill unless we have no other alternative." _'Too bad I didn't include Samui, Konan and Anko on that list…'_ He thought to himself. After all, an experienced ninja always kept his opportunities open.

Erza stepped forward, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. "So you plan on joining us, huh? Well, expect my challenge after you acquire your lodgings. I look forward to crossing blades with you, Uzumaki Naruto." She declared as she rested her hands on her hips.

Natsu's head burst into flames at the thought of someone strong like him would be there for him to challenge. "Oh man…I'M FIRED UP, BABY!" He whipped his head to Lisanna, who was standing next to her sister. "Lisanna-chan, I'm going to fight him! Wish me luck!""

"Natsu, wait!" Lisanna called out, trying to get him to stop. Unfortunately…

"Hey, Blondie! I challenge you to a fight; right here, right now!" The pink-haired boy declared, a huge grin on his face. Naruto took one look at him, blanched and asked a question that popped into his mind.

"Is that your natural hair colour? Cause I really don't think that pink is your thing…have you tried dying it red or black?" Naruto sweat-dropped when the boy's head burst into flames once again. The first time it happened, he had thought that it was simply his imagination that was the cause of that image…apparently, this guy used fire. Huh.

Natsu's display was put to an end when a gigantic fist slammed down on him, earning a low whistle from Gray. "Not bad fire-breath…you managed to stay awake this time. Whoop-de-fucking-doo." You could almost taste the sarcasm in his voice.

Makarov continued to grumble as he dispelled his Titan magic spell and his arm revered to its normal size. "Take your silly fight out of the Guild; I still haven't finished paying for all the repairs needed for the last time you fought here. But first, Naruto and Setsuna need to officially join the Guild. See Lisanna there so that she can officially induct you into the Guild." He pointed to the girl standing next to Mirajane, who could only be her sister, and carried off to his office once more.

Approaching the girl, Naruto flashed an eye-smile. "Why hello there; allow me to introduce myself: I'm Uzumaki Naruto and the lady beside me is Uchiha Setsuna."

Lisanna gave a smile of her own to the two as led them towards the bar end. "Nice to meet you Naruto-san. I'm Lisanna Strauss, Mira-nee's little sister. If you don't mind me asking, what made you accept Master Makarov's offer?" She asked as she started looking through a little drawer for something.

"For one, you guys seem cool and it would be great living with you guys. Secondly, I don't really expect any other Guild to be so accepting of a new member so I decided to take this opportunity while it was still open. Finally, Setsuna and I don't have a place to stay."

Lisanna nodded as she withdrew a stamp with the Fairy Tail insignia in the middle. "Alright, where would you like to have your mark?" She asked as she lifted it up.

"I'd like to have it on the back of my left hand." Setsuna announced, removing her limb from the confines of her cloak and presenting it to Lisanna. "I'd like it to be in black, please." She added as an afterthought.

Barely a minute later and Setsuna was admiring her new tattoo. Turning to Naruto, Lisanna raised the stamp once again. "So where do you want it, Naruto?"

Naruto shrugged. "Might as well have it in the same place as Setsuna…not original, but I don't really care. Could you have it black with a crimson outline?"

"Sure!" She chirped. Placing the stamp on his left hand, a pulse of magic soon left the desired imprint on the blond shinobi's hand. Flexing the hand a couple of times, Naruto gave Lisanna another eye-smile.

"Thank you so much for it. It looks really good." He praised, affectionately ruffling her hair. Lisanna blushed lightly as she smacked his hand away, a pout forming on her face. "Aww…don't look so annoyed. You should be used to it with how young you look."

She just pouted harder and let out a huff. "Why do I even bother…" She mumbled as she received an order for three beers. "Sorry Naruto, but I have to get back to work. Try not to kill my husband, okay?"

Naruto blinked. "Your…husband? You mean the guy with the pink hair? How did that happen? You're obviously not the required age for marriage." He questioned.

"I'll explain it to you when I'm not so busy. Bye!" With that said, she disappeared within the crowd of mages.

Locking eyes with Setsuna, Naruto gave a minute nod. Understanding what he was saying, Setsuna started heading over to him as she fingered the vial containing Sasuke's eyes. With his upcoming fight, it would be a good opportunity to get some feedback on his new eyes.

**-Fairy Tail Grounds-**

Natsu was literally vibrating with excitement as he waited for Naruto to arrive so that they could start their fight. Happy had appeared shortly before and was once again munching on a fish as he watched Natsu get ready for his fight. Gray had decided to come watch Natsu get his ass handed to him as well as get a feel of what Naruto could do. Erza and Mirajane had turned up as well, wanting to see what Naruto could do in a fight, though Mirajane had a more personal reason to watch.

"What's taking Naruto so long?! I wanna fight him, damnit!"

"Maybe you should simmer down until he comes, Natsu." Happy said, still managing to speak clearly despite his mouth being full of fish.

Erza turned to see Mirajane staring into space, murmuring words that she could barely make out. She caught the words 'Naruto-kun', 'all mine' and 'those bitches' and promptly sweat-dropped. From what she knew of Mirajane, the white-haired devil would probably try and coerce Naruto into fighting her to prove her superiority. If she lost, which Erza was sure to be the case, she would just continue to pick fights with him until she won one. _'Naruto-san's life is just about to get…interesting.'_

A small crowd of people had gathered round, hearing word of the budding mage 'Salamander' about to fight a new member of the Guild. From what they had heard, the Guild Master himself had proclaimed the new recruit capable of surpassing an S-Class mage and such a proclamation had caught their interest.

After about three minutes, Naruto stepped out of the gates followed by Setsuna, the latter finally getting rid of her travelling cloak. She was quite lithe, her form an interesting blend of strength, speed and elegance; she wasn't so built that it detracted her beauty, nor was her body beautiful but weak. Her developing curves were highlighted by the tight clothing she wore; black pants that showed off her lovely legs, a purple sash that secured her sword and a revealing navy blue robe with a large hemline on the front that exposed her arms, back, lateral part of her well endowed breasts and her belly.

Many of the young girls in the crowd fought off the feeling of inadequacy when they really got a good look at Setsuna's chest. Most of them were B-cups, the notable exceptions being Erza, Mirajane, Cana, Evergreen and a few others who ranged from a large B to a small C…but Setsuna was already at a large C-cup.

Stopping directly in front of Natsu, Naruto crossed his arms. "So, you ready to get your ass handed to you?"

Natsu grinned in response. "Just cut the chit-chat and show me what you got. Actions speak louder than words you know!" He declared as he hunkered down, thanking his stars that he had grabbed a bite to eat before.

Naruto made no response to that and decided to kick-start the event. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" He called out as he slapped his hand to the earth. A puff of smoke obstructed the view for a brief second before a gust of wind revealed Naruto wielding a Gunbai or war fan. The fan was purple with black trimmings and black tomoe, connected to black chains that run up his right sleeve.

Natsu didn't know what the blond was planning to do with that fan nor did he recognize any kind of **Requip** magic that occurred like that but he didn't really care. Charging towards the blond with considerable speed, the young Dragon Slayer cocked his hand back as he cast his spell. "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" A decent sized fireball ignited over his clenched fist as he continued his path towards the still ninja, pumping more power into the attack to take him out in one blow.

Naruto just shifted his posture slightly as he waited for Natsu to draw closer to him. Using the Sharingan seemed a bit too much for even Naruto…but he really wanted to see how much stronger his eye techniques had become. _'I'll play around with him for a bit before I use them…I just hope he doesn't overtax himself in trying to defeat me.'_ Nodding to himself, Naruto blocked Natsu's punch with ease that scared Natsu. Calmly tightening his grip on the fan, Naruto stared into the wide eyes of Natsu. "Uchihagaeshi (Uchiha Return)."

A flick of his hand sent the Fire Mage flying backwards with impressive force through several trees , finally skidding to a halt several feet away. Going through a chain of one hand seals, Naruto let loose another jutsu. "Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" As Naruto spewed a massive fireball towards Natsu, he was surprised to see the boy make no move to avoid the attack.

He was further surprised when he saw Natsu open his mouth and swallow the fire that licked at his body, eating it as though it was food. "Wow, your fire tastes really good! It's almost as good as Igneel's own fire!" He exclaimed. He punched his fists together as he crouched low, a grin on his face once more. "Here it comes! Fire Dragon's Roar!" A gargantuan torrent of flames was exhaled by the mage, racing towards the shinobi with rapid speed.

"Suiton: Suijinheki!" A torrent of water erupted from his mouth and generated a massive blast of steam as the wall of water and the flame blast collided. Losing concentration from the surprise at seeing Naruto use water attacks, Natsu's spell ended abruptly. As he peered through the steam for Naruto's whereabouts, he was startled when he heard his voice from within the steam.

"Sorry Natsu, but I'm going to end this! Try and eat this! Amateratsu!" Black flames shaped in the form of a roaring dragon bore down upon Natsu with fierce speed and viciousness. Barely managing to dodge the stream, Natsu curiously sucked in a bit of the strange fire to see what it tasted like. Meanwhile, the flames of Amateratsu dissipated as it arched into the skies away from the crowd. Within the thick steam, Naruto smirked as he saw Natsu eat the flames with his Mangekyo Sharingan. _'Bad move Natsu…curiosity killed the cat and you're gonna learn that right about now.'_

Natsu's cheeks bulged as he struggled to hold his composure; the flames he had eaten were doing something to him, making him feel as if he had taken in some kind of poison. A painful sensation in his stomach broke what little control he had over his heaving and he vomited copious amounts of fire unto the earth, his stomach heaving in its quest to expel the foreign substance from it. _'What's going on? What did that fire do to me?!'_

"Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu!" A low-powered water dragon formed using the water vapor in the atmosphere and slammed itself into the vomited flames, preventing a forest fire from starting. "Don't worry about the flames Natsu, I've already cancelled the technique. You should be feeling better soon." Natsu lifted his eyes to see Naruto step out of the steam, his gunbai slung over his shoulders as he strode towards the downed mage. Just as he had said, he could feel the burning within his belly simmer to a mild feeling of discomfort.

Getting to his feet, Natsu glared at the blond. "What the hell was with that fire? Why did it hurt me when I have the lungs of a dragon?"

Filing that tidbit of information for another time, Naruto decided to answer his question. If enemy shinobi could monologue their life experiences and techniques in battle, why couldn't he do it? "I'm not really sure I can explain it, but I'm guessing that the reason was your limited experiences with fire. The flames of Amateratsu are able to burn continuously for at least seven days and seven nights, so I suppose the strain it put your body was too much for you to handle."

Naruto began to manipulate chakra once again as Natsu called on his fire magic to encase his hands. "Let's settle this! Rasenrengan (Rasengan Barrage)!" Naruto charged, a spiraling sphere of pure chakra in each hand.

"Alright! Fire Dragon's Iron Fists!" Natsu roared as he took off in a mad dash towards the approaching shinobi. They paid no attention to the cheering crowd; their attention was fixated on the inevitable clash that was about to occur. With a loud, incoherent scream Natsu thrust his hands towards Naruto in the hopes of smashing his fists into the blond.

Ducking under the wild punches of Natsu, Naruto easily slipped through his guard and slammed the two Rasengans into him. Luckily for Natsu, Naruto had pumped only enough chakra to render the Fire Mage unconscious otherwise he would've been gutted by the combined force of the A-Rank jutsu. As Natsu felt the world turning black and his chest screaming in agony, he felt a smile appear on his lips. _'Naruto…I'll get stronger than this, strong enough to beat even you one day. Until then, let's fight each other some more…it was real fun.'_

As Natsu was about to fall to the ground, he was caught by Naruto and gently carried by the shinobi. _'It might be because I see myself in you…it might be because you've got the drive and determination to get stronger…it might even be for a reason I don't understand yet…but I feel that you're gonna play a big part in the coming years.' _Naruto thought as he slung Natsu's arm over him and started heading towards the crowd. _'I'll do my best to make sure that all of you grow strong; strong enough to forge through the trials of life…my friend.' _He smiled as he handed Natsu over to a worried Lisanna, assuring her that he was alright.

Makarov, watching the entire fight through a crystal ball, let a smile grace his aged face. It seems Naruto was already settling into his life as a member of Fairy Tail.

**A/N: Alright, that's a wrap! This was a chapter that I found myself really gung ho to write, though there were times that I felt like moving unto another story to update. Now before you guys flame me for Natsu being brought down by fire, hear me out. The black flames of Amateratsu are capable of burning continuously for seven days and seven nights, even though the oxygen needed for fire to burn would already be used up by the third day or so. They defy the laws of physics that govern our reality, so it isn't much of a stretch to say that they are far superior to ordinary fire and Dragon fire. Natsu eating a small chunk of those flames is like a human eating a tablespoon of uranium…yeah, that bad. He won't try that again, but despite the pain it has benefits. If he were to bear the pain and continuously take in a minute amount of the flames, his tolerance to other flames will increase drastically.**

**I received a review from someone who said that Naruto spilled his life story to Makarov in the last chapter. I went back to check, but the only thing that was remotely close to what he said was the bit regarding Akatsuki. If I made Naruto keep that bit of info to himself, it would only make things harder for everyone to trust his word again. Just wanted to clear that up.**

**I have decided that Setsuna, Tayuya and Naruto will learn magic; Setsuna will learn Ice Magic from Ultear, Tayuya could learn Water Magic from Juvia and Naruto…Requip Magic from Erza or Dragon Slayer Magic from Acnologia. Any other suggestions will be welcome. Anko, Konan and Samui won't learn because I feel that they really don't need it…but a convincing argument might be able to change my tune…**

**Upon further meditating, I've decided to add three more girls to the harem…and maybe a sex friend or two. I'm not sure about the latter…anyway, the three women will be Cana, Kurame and that pink haired chick who kept shredding Erza's armor off in that episode…can't remember her name though…Send me your thoughts on the whole 'sex friends' thing. I personally don't think it would work, with him being in relationships, but anything's possible so long as the logic behind it is sound.**

**So…Final Harem:**

**Erza Scarlet **

**Mirajane Strauss**

**Uchiha Setsuna**

**Tayuya**

**Konan**

**Erza Knightwalker**

**Juvia Lockser**

**Lucy Heartfilia**

**Ultear Milkovich**

**Kyuubi no Kurame**

**Cana Alberona**

…**You guys know the pinkette I'm talking about, right?**

**Also, since I forgot to post the updated harem list for the Primordial Transcendent, here it is:**

**Artemis**

**Zoë**

**Bianca-Hades would have a fit if his daughter fell for the guy whose eyes are a big middle finger to him.**

**Thalia-Zeus wouldn't know what hit him.**

**Silena-She's rarely used and is one of the nicer children of Aphrodite. **

**Hestia-She deserves a little break from being ignored by almost everyone.**

**OC Daughter of Poseidon-Bet Percy wouldn't be pleased to see his sister dating a guy like Naruto.**

**Calypso- I'm gonna make her happy and break that damn curse if it's the last thing I do.**

**Rachel Elizabeth Dare-I doubt she gets any pairing in fanfiction. Hope I'm the first to do something like this.**

**Rhea**

**Reyna- She's gonna be his 'Order' when he gets a bit too chaotic.**

**Athena-Hey Anabeth, guess who your new stepdad is…**

**Kushina-It was obvious from the beginning that she was in but you guys wanted me to confirm it, so here it is.**

**One thing I should clear with you…the gods can't preach about him being promiscuous when they themselves went about doing the same thing. I might include some more…Naruto's libido is quite strong, which you'll find out in the next chapter. Spoiler: There will be a lemon in it.**

**Wish you guys a Happy New Year! Don't forget to make a New Year resolution to review more! Review! **

**P.S Just read Naruto 615...if Hinata and Naruto don't end up together, there will be HELL to pay. Believe it.  
**

**Maelstrombankai**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Fairy Tail and any other anime/ manga that appears in this fic of mine. If I did…well, you would've known that by now.**

**Chapter 5: Change in Fate**

Makarov sighed deeply as he sank into his seat, the comfort of his beloved chair easing a bit of the headache he was developing. He closed his eyes and angled his pipe such that it would hang limply in his mouth yet not fall, allowing himself to be swept by the lull of the moment and feeling grateful for the rare opportunity to just relax without the constant challenges that life threw his way. _'So much for taking it easy,' _He thought, still in that Zen-like state of relaxation. The chirping of birds in the afternoon made his lips twitch. _'At this rate, it'll be decades before I can hand the mantle of Guild Master to someone else…'_

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and Makarov's peace was disturbed by the obstinate thoughts in his head regarding the young Namikaze. He had been watching the little spar he and Natsu had had, somewhat curious as to see how a shinobi actually fought. The results were quite impressive; Makarov was skilled enough to see that Naruto had been holding back against the young Dragon Slayer. _'If I were to go by what he told me, Natsu wouldn't pose a challenge to him at all…neither would quite a number of the Mages here, too.'_

He quirked his eyebrows in thought as he recalled the last 'jutsu' Naruto used on Natsu. "What was it again? Rasenrengan?" He murmured. From what he had seen, it looked like a spinning ball of energy that packed enough power to seriously damage his opponents. "His people must have been really something if they can do stuff like that." He muttered. In his opinion, the Shinobi system he had learned from Naruto did not sit right with him. Using children as young as Lisanna on jobs that could end up being their last? Inbreeding to ensure the continuation of a Bloodline Limit, despite the risks it carried? Constant warfare as a result of the pettiest reactions between two Hidden Villages and human greed?

"And to think that he's only just began adolescence…it's like shinobi have been groomed for S-Class jobs since the start of their career." He opened his eyes and raised his head from its reclining position to view the latest headache inducer he had received. On his desk was a report he had been writing, to be sent to the Magic Council as soon as he was done. As a member of the Ten Wizard Saints, he was obligated to send reports to them on any unusual activity that occurred in the vicinity of their Guilds…and Acnologia's appearance was **definitely** unusual.

He wasn't going to mention its title in the report; after all, the fewer who knew, the better. However, Naruto's actions would surely catch the attention of the Council members. After all, who had ever tamed a dragon before? Who could use space-time techniques like he had? Such a powerful and unknown ability would draw their eyes to him, either to observe him and try to gain his loyalty or to find a way to destroy him.

Makarov frowned as he continued staring at the report. _'What should I do? The whole Guild and civilians have already seen Naruto transport Acnologia to another dimension and it would be disastrous if the report does not match that of the witnesses.' _He continued staring at the report for many minutes, deep in thought. After ten minutes of silent contemplating, a twinkle appeared in his eyes as a grin appeared on his face. "Well now, why didn't I think of that before? This will definitely satisfy them and keep them off my backs long enough to have some peace!"

With that, the Guild Master began to write with enthusiasm.

**-Guild Hall-**

"Natsu! Don't die already! I still need someone to catch my fish for me!" Happy wailed as he flew over the injured boy with comical tears streaming down his oddly-shaped head. He continued bawling, paying no mind to the fact that Natsu was alive, awake and looking at him with a few tick marks forming on his head.

Gray, who was standing next to the duo, chose that moment to add his own comment. "Don't worry, Happy. I'm sure we can find another glorified match to cook your meals for you."

Natsu was in his face faster than most people could blink, pressing his forehead against the Ice Mage. "You mind repeating that again, snowman?"

Gray pushed his forehead against Natsu's, his gaze and demeanor suddenly aggressive. "You heard me the first time, idiot. What are you gonna do about it?"

Natsu pushed back with equal vigor, flames bursting into existence within his eye sockets. "I'm gonna kick your ass, that's what I'm gonna go!" And with a roar, another scuffle started between the two teen mages while everyone else went on with their business.

"Natsu, stop this instant! You're going to reopen your wounds!" Lisanna cried out, nervously wringing her hands together as she saw Natsu take a vicious punch from Gray. After watching the two continue fighting regardless of her dry, Lisanna started to get annoyed. "Natsu! Stop now!"

The boys continued rolling around, throwing punches and kicks at any part they could get. Lisanna ran her fingers through her hair and growled as she advanced towards them. "One of these days, I swear he's gonna get in trouble for that habit." She muttered.

Watching the interaction between the three was Naruto, propped up on a stool with a glass of sake in his hand. Watching the two boys, he had a brief sense of nostalgia of the days when Team 7 was still together. If he were to allocate the trio with the characteristics, he would say that Gray would be the Sasuke equivalent, always welcoming a chance to prove he was superior to Natsu. Lisanna would be the one to break up the fight, something Sakura always did though Lisanna most probably wouldn't be biased towards one of them. Natsu reminded Naruto of himself; the hot-headed member who was loud and used any chance he got to try and one-up his rival. He snapped out of his contemplation as he saw Lisanna's hand transform into a long, multi-colored tentacle as she reached the duo, who were currently engaged in a headlock.

"Both of you cut it out! Now!" With a particularly vicious swipe, Natsu and Gray let out shrill shrieks as her jellyfish-like tentacle sent a series of jolts coursing through their body. Both ended their headlocks in favor of making spamming motions, which made them look even more comical than when they were fighting.

Naruto chuckled as he watched Lisanna chew Natsu and Gray out, taking a sip of his alcoholic drink despite the fact that his mask was in the way. What he had discovered from Kakashi's memories was that the material used in tailoring the mask somehow made it possible for food and drink to be consumed without having to remove it. The details of the material were sketchy, since Kakashi had been pretty young when he started wearing it and hadn't been in the mood to listen to them, but it explained why the man never seemed to take his mask off whenever he treated Naruto to ramen._ 'Then that time we tried to make him remove his mask, he must've been trolling us…Heh, things sure were fun back then.'_

The Guild Hall was noticeably quieter than before, since most of the mages had gone on job requests. Apparently the afternoon requests were much more rewarding than the morning ones and they also seemed to be greater in numbers. At the moment, only about twenty members remained in the hall, Setsuna and he included. Speaking of Setsuna…

She was speaking to another female in one corner, looking fairly interested in something the female was showing her. Judging by the animated gestures of the brunette, as well as the glimpse he managed to get, it was something to do with cards. After watching them for a few more moments, Naruto recalled the name of the girl. "That's Cana Alberona. Wonder what she and Setsuna-chan are talking about."

"Naruto-san, is something the matter?" Lisanna asked as she dragged a quiet Natsu back to her seat next to the blond.

Naruto stared at her and made a motion for her to come closer. She seemed unsure at first, no doubt she was thinking of something far from what he was about to do to her. After a moment, she decided to heed his request and drew closer to his form. "A-Ano, is there-"

POKE

A sharp flick to her forehead prompted a surprised cry from the girl as she stumbled back, rapidly blinking her eyes at the action. Naruto eye-smiled at the adorably confused look on her face whilst Natsu looked torn between roasting Naruto alive and leaving him to Lisanna…that girl could be pretty scary at times.

"In case you were wondering, that was for attaching a suffix to my name. Call me Naruto, adding '-san' makes me feel old." Naruto mentally snickered at his statement. "To answer your question, I was wondering how accommodation was catered for. Is there a place where Guild members stay, or do they need to pay for their own lodgings around town?"

Lisanna's eyes brightened. "Well, since you're new here, I didn't really expect you to know this but the Guild only serves as a place where job requests are displayed and taken. There aren't any free lodgings here, so I'd suggest you go on a few jobs and earn some money before thinking about looking for an apartment." She said.

Naruto just managed to hide his snort. Pay rent to live somewhere? No thank you, he had done enough of that as a kid and that option was definitely off his list. "I'll keep that in mind." He said, his thoughts wandering towards other matters. "So how are requests carried out? Are they usually done by individuals or can they be done in groups?"

Happy, who had been strangely quiet throughout the exchange, floated before Naruto. "Allow me to explain, aye. Even though everyone in the Guild is allied to one another, some members that get along really well get together and form teams within the Guild. That way, jobs that may be hard for one person to take can be done by a team!"

Naruto nodded his head at Happy's explanation. "Cool, that sounds a bit like what I used to do back home." He ignored the curious looks he was getting from Lisanna and the eavesdropping Natsu and rose from his seat. Sending a wink to the girl, Naruto started to head towards the Request Board. "Well, I'm off to find something interesting to do. Seeya." He waved.

Natsu leapt after the blond with gusto. "Hold up Naruto! How about you, me an' Happy go pick a-" The vibrant Dragon Slayer froze and started rapidly sweating when a dainty hand gripped his shoulder with strength that impossibly defied the image the hands themselves gave of a fragile girl. An oppressive weight fell on his shoulders as the temperature around him dropped to chilling levels and Natsu could swear that the air around him was getting darker with each passing second. His head started to turn robotically towards the source of it all, as if it was an instinctive reaction ingrained within him to face the demon before he died.

Lisanna's eyes were closed and a beautiful smile was plastered unto her face, making her angelic features even more pronounced. In contrast, the evil aura that she exuded made her appearance even more unnerving. "Natsu-kun…what did I say about overexerting yourself?"

Naruto smiled as he headed away from the two, moving closer to the request board. _'Well, well. Seems love is in the air for those two…or at least for Lisanna.' _Stopping in front of his objective, Naruto let his eyes wander over the various requests that were pinned on the mahogany board. "Let's see now; finding a magic bracelet? Too easy. Reading someone's love horoscope? No thanks, please. Hunting a volcano demon?" Naruto kept his eye on that particular request for a moment. "Let's put that in the 'seriously considering' category for now."

"Looking for a job already?" Naruto turned to see Mirajane approaching him with amusement on her face. She drew up next to him and smirked. "If you want, you could partner up with Elfman and I; we were on our way to check out this particular request." She handed him the request sheet and crossed her arms as he read.

Naruto's brow tilted slightly as he went over the job request. "So we're going to deal with some demon infestation in a place called Shirotsume Town. Nice, I get to break something." His eyes widened slightly as he read the reward for the job. "Twenty-two hundred thousand jewels for each demon we can deal with? That's certainly some incentive…" He lifted his eyes from the sheet and quirked them at Mira. "Not to sound ungrateful, but why exactly do you want me to come with you? Shouldn't you be partnering with someone whose skill set you know rather than an unknown factor?"

Mirajane shot him a small scowl. "The only other person I would choose would be Lisanna but she's been pretty busy this past week and I don't want her to be stressed. Besides, from that fight with Natsu, I can see that you're capable of holding your own in a fight." She replied, a tiny bit of irritation bleeding into her voice. "Also, as your senpai in the Guild, I have to show you the ropes on how we Fairy Tail mages work."

Naruto felt a sweat-drop form. _'I didn't ask for a senpai…'_ "I dunno…maybe Erza-san would be a better option? She seems to be more reliable." He blinked as a tick mark formed on Mirajane's face. _'Huh?'_

Mirajane's words were low and cold yet Naruto could easily hear them. "That ugly prude already went on some dumbass job, so you're gonna have to stick with me. Besides, I'm far better than that uptight cunt." She scoffed at him, her blue eyes cold yet sly as she peered at him. Seeing him open his mouth once more, Mirajane quickly cut him off. "Alright, enough chitchat. Meet us at the gate in half an hour and you better not be late." With that said, she quickly marched away.

Naruto sighed as he read over the request once again. _'Well I do need some money…' _He paused as a question formed in his mind. _'And who is Elfman?'_

**-Fairy Tail Gates-**

Mirajane paced across the gates of the Guild with barely concealed irritation whilst Elfman just leaned against them, arms crossed as he stared in the sky in wait for their third member. The middle sibling was a tall young man with the same white hair styled into a messy bowl cut and blue eyes as Mirajane and Lisanna. His skin was tanned unlike his sisters, who had pale skin, and he wore a dark blue jacket with purplish blue inners, held closed on the front by a line of large buttons, with similar buttons on the sleeves' back and the zip located on the high collar left open. The back of his jacket is adorned by large, light kanji, which read "_The greatest_" and the jacket itself seems to be worn over a light red shirt, sometimes seemingly replaced by an A-shirt covered in many vertical lines. Elfman's outfit was completed by loose pants matching his jacket, held up by a simple belt, and traditional Japanese geta sandals, held in place by bands colored the same as his jacket's inners. . He waited patiently as his big sister continued pacing, her murderous mutters floating into his ears and causing a quick smile to grace his lips. _'I've never seen her this interested in anyone before…he must be something to catch Mira-nee's attention.'_

"Aaarrrghh! Where is that lazy bum?! He should've been here an hour ago!" Mirajane's patience at an end, the young teen began spewing curses and words that were enough to make Elfman, the manliest man in the Guild, cringe in sympathy as he listened to her violent descriptions of what she would do to Naruto.

"Yo, am I late?" Naruto asked as he appeared in a whirlwind of leaves. He dodged a charge from the angry girl and maneuvered his way such that each punch she sent towards him was easily slapped away without harming any unfortunate bystander.

"You're late, asshole!"

"Well, the thing is…"

"What?!"

"I got lost on the highway to hell, so I backed up and tried again. Only the next time, I ran into a black cat so I had to walk around Fiore seven times to make sure I didn't get any bad luck."

Mirajane spluttered in anger at the ridiculous story Naruto was spouting at her and renewed her furious barrage. "LIAR!"

**-Shirotsume Town-**

The three individuals stopped in front of a huge mansion, Naruto eying the place with narrowed slit eyes. Surrounding the palace was a series of slender trees sitting casually on the grass, while behind it a small lake and a massive rocky formation were visible. As they got closer to the doors, Naruto started up a conversation with Elfman while Mirajane moved further away from the blond. No doubt she was still upset at his tardy ways.

"So, what kind of magic do you use?" Naruto probed as they made their way towards Mirajane.

"Well, my sisters and I use Take Over Magic." Seeing the confusion in Naruto's eyes, he elaborated further. "Take Over allows the user to take over the power of a creature or person and use it to fight. It can increase the power, strength, and speed of the Caster, sometimes adding a new skill such as flying or swimming." He refrained from exploring the other aspects of his magic and entered the building with Mirajane.

Naruto noted the reaction to the subject of his magic and followed the siblings. As he made his way through the mansion to the room they were supposed to meet the client in, he couldn't help but admire the structure. 'This guy must obviously be loaded…hmmm.'

Soon they entered a room, which Naruto recognized as the library. It had all of its walls segmented into long vertical sections, adorned by bookshelves packed full of books, some of which sported ladders to reach their upper shelves. A large desk, complete with a chair and some pens, was present, along with a light, semicircular sofa, which in its hollow part housed a round table, and had two round lamps nearby, on one side. Two more, large lamps sporting small spheres secured to them by ropes hang from special hollow parts in the ceiling, which was covered in square tiles. Near to the door granting access to the room is a closet, flanked by another, smaller desk paired with a chair.

Sitting on the sofa was the client; he was a short, plump, ugly man with skinny arms and legs. He sported a curled mustache which directly protruded from his nostrils, and a bushel of wavy hair atop his round head. He wore a formal black suit, with his jacket fastened with a large gold button and adorned with a decorative red flower. Beneath his jacket was a white collared shirt and a blue necktie.

Naruto decided that he didn't mind entertaining killing the man in the near future. After he had bled all his resources dry from him, of course.

"Boyoyo, it would seem that Fairy Tail mages are as unpunctual as they are undisciplined; I had been waiting for you to arrive for the past hour." Sweet Kami, even his voice annoyed Naruto! As if that wasn't bad enough, he was getting the evil eye from Mira-chan!

"We…were held up, thanks to this idiot." Mirajane pointed at Naruto, who tilted his head in acknowledgement. "Your job request said that you were suffering from a demon infestation…but you never did specify what kind of demon you had."

Elfman looked interested as well while Naruto just shrugged. After all what did it matter? After dealing with Kurama and the other Bijuu, anything else was a piece of cake.

**-Shirotsume Mountains-**

"Aaaarrrggghhh! I can't believe that bastard had the gall to hype the request! He had a fucking Vulcan problem?!" Naruto stared in bemusement as he watched Mirajane take her frustration out on an unfortunate rock, pounding the poor thing with rage-enhanced blows that were rapidly breaking it apart.

He turned to Elfman, who was watching his sister with a nervous smile, and asked the question on his mind. "Is this how she always gets or is there something I don't happen to know?"

Elfman just laughed nervously as Mirajane finished reducing the rocks to rubble, her anger finally spent. "I can't say for sure, but she seemed to be anticipating this request quite badly. Finding out that the 'demons' are just Vulcans…I suppose I would feel annoyed as well." He replied, scratching his head in thought.

Naruto sighed as a breeze started to pick up. A wary feeling started spreading through his being as his eyes began to narrow. _'I have a bad feeling about this…' _He thought to himself.

**A/N: Before you guys chew me out, the only reason I was able to work on this chapter was because I convinced myself that it was good practice for my Language paper, which is due tomorrow btw. Until the middle of June, don't really expect me to update my fics. If I can, I might…it's too early to give a definite answer.**

**I think I made the Fairy Tail characters OOC…help would be appreciated to try and blend canon characteristics with this fic. Wikis can only do so much.**

**I suppose I should give you a bit of a spoiler, considering that I won't be able to update for quite a while: this is a what-if situation that had been pestering me for a while; how would things have played out if Elfman lost control at an earlier time in a Naruto/Fairy Tail crossover?**

**Now the main message of today: FUCK YOU C2! YOU GUYS FRIGGIN' SUCK ASS! The Naruto Storm 3 story mode is sweet, I'll say that, but seriously? No Edo Kages, Seven Swordsmen or Gold and Silver Brothers in Free Battle?! Yet SEVEN PTS characters are included?! What the fucking hell?!**

**Also, did anyone expect Madara to have had 4 brothers? Or another Senju brother? Me thinks Kishimoto is being a sexist here. Why couldn't he have given them a sister?**

**PREVIEW:**

Laxus scowled as Naruto sent a fanged smirk at him. He rose from the floor and sent a heated glare towards his rival. "Why.." He grit his teeth as Naruto just cocked an eyebrow. "Why the hell did she choose you over me?!" With the force of a thunderclap, Laxus finally released his anger his anger in a massive blast of lightning that destroyed the nearby pillars and structures. Winds whipped around both combatants as Laxus continued to release his magic in vicious torrents. "I'm stronger than you! I'm the better fighter! I've been by her side far longer than you!" With each cry, lightning struck the earth at random intervals, the last one actually striking the ground barely a few centimeters away from Naruto. "So tell me…WHY DID SHE DECIDE TO BE WITH YOU?!" He roared to the heavens, his form bulging in size and muscle mass, his canine teeth elongating and becoming pointy, and scales rapidly appearing on his massive arms.

Naruto looked at him with a playful glint in his eye as he powered up his Raiton no Yoroi, the blue lightning encasing him in a dazzling aura of power. He settled into his stance as his features hardened and his tone grew colder as the seconds passed. "I wake up in the morning and piss excellence; you're the soil that tried to grow using me as your fertilizer. I've been ignoring you for the most part, but enough is enough." The lightning aura increased in size and intensity, signifying the change in Naruto's emotions. He stared into the whites of Laxus's eye. "Let me show you that the difference between us is as wide as heaven is from hell."In a flash, both blonds were at each other's face, their respective techniques called out at the same time.

"Kuroi Raikiri!"

"Roaring Thunder!"

**MaelstromBankai out. Please review, they make me stronger in the Force of Literature.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Fairy Tail and any other anime or manga that appears in this piece of literature.**

**Chapter 6: Take Over Troubles-Part 1**

Naruto and Elfman made their way towards the less dense southern sector of the Shirotsume Mountains whilst Mirajane covered the western sector. Since the area wasn't so big, only about two hectares or so, they weren't really worried about getting lost. If they did happen to lose track of their way, Naruto could use an animal summon to track their scent. That, or he could just do so himself…but that would lead to a few awkward questions that he didn't want to answer so soon.

Anyways, after a brief discussion between the trio, it was decided that Naruto would be accompanied by Elfman since he was unfamiliar with the terrain. Naruto didn't mind at all; Elfman seemed like an alright person and he wanted to get to know another Guild member besides those he met earlier in the day. Also, Elfman had camped in the area not too long back which made him the perfect guide. From what Naruto had seen of the mountains, there hardly seemed to be any life in the area and the atmosphere was quite dry.

After a few moments of silence, excluding the rustling sounds made as the two brushed past vegetation, Naruto decided to get the conversation rolling. "So, Elfman…how long have you and your sisters been in Fairy Tail?" He casually spoke out as he formed a Kage Bunshin a few meters behind them. That feeling he had felt not long ago was stirring up again and Naruto had learned a long time ago that paranoia was useful in keeping more than a few shinobi alive until they were in their old ages.

Since Naruto had been mastering most of his jutsu to the point where he could perform them with only three hand seals, it was relatively easy for a shinobi of his caliber to distract Elfman from noticing anything. The clone seamlessly blended into the background, its Rinnegan eyes feeding information to its creator as it scoured the surroundings.

Elfman paused for a second before continuing through the path. "Well, it really hasn't been that long since we joined the Guild." He said almost thoughtfully as they searched for any signs of the Vulcans. "I suppose we arrived about a year and a half ago. Back then, we weren't as good with magic as we are now and our parents had passed on. We had no place to go and no clue as to how to control or magic," He paused to leap over a boulder and continued. "So, when Mira-nee heard about Fairy Tail being the strongest Guild, she talked us into joining. It also helped that Fairy Tail was the closest Guild." He chuckled.

Naruto nodded, avoiding the topic of their parents. "So, out of curiousity, who exactly are the big players within the guild?"

Elfman gave him an approving nod. "Scoping out the competition to know where you stand. That's good, I was hoping to have another Guild mate who thought like a real man." Ignoring the curious looks Naruto was giving him, Elfman proceeded to lecture him on the Mages that stood out within the Guild. "Let's start from the bottom and work our way up. From what I've heard, you beat that Natsu pretty easily so you're already better than a good chunk of those in the Guild. Now, Macao…"

**-Shirotsume Mountains, Mirajane-**

Mirajane scowled as she flew across the western sector of the location. Her large bat-like wings elevated her through the skies with powerful flaps, giving her a perfect view of Shirotsume Town. Normally, she would have enjoyed the peace and sight but due to Duke Everlue's request, it only served to make her angry. _'That fucking prick…'_ She made a mental note to get back at him. _'Maybe I should blow up that mansion of his…' _An evil glint appeared in her eyes as she imagined the look on his face.

A glimpse of movement snapped her out of her daydreams and she swooped lower to get a better view. Staying high enough that she would be hidden by the clouds, but low enough to get a good view, Mirajane narrowed her eyes as she spotted three Forest Vulcans leaping through the trees at decent speeds. All of them were quite large, easily twice as big as any ordinary Vulcan.

Vulcans usually appeared to be large, anthropomorphic monsters that resemble primates. They possessed distinct facial features, elongated chins, prolonged ears and pointed heads that resembled a single horn on top of their head. Vulcans had gargantuan arms and, sequentially, large hands that attach to their muscular torsos. In comparison to their upper body, they possessed a pair of smaller-scaled legs that feature a long tail connected to the bottom of their torsos.

Mirajane frowned as she took off after them. Forest Vulcans usually resided in vast, deep forests so what were they doing in an area that was obviously unsuitable for them? She flapped her wings and took off after them, eyeing them with curiousity. Were there more Gorians in the Mountains that Everlue hadn't warned them of? The mission request stated that there was a demon infestation…Vulcans, no matter how many, could be dealt with rather easily for any mage above B-Rank. Mirajane eyebrows furrowed as she puzzled over the mission. After a few minutes of silent contemplating, she frowned heavily when no plausible reason presented itself. 'What exactly is going on here?'

If she had been more aware of her surroundings, she would have noticed a flying creature veer off towards the North to report to its master.

**-Western Sector, Naruto-**

Naruto hummed to himself as he thought about the strongest people in the Guild. He had known that Makarov was the strongest; he was the Guild Master, the one who watched over and protected all those in the Guild. How could he not be the strongest? The Titan Magic Elfman had described to him reminded him vividly of his own Akimichi Body Expanding Jutsu, though there were a few differences between the two.

Gray was also included in the list, though that was more to do with his potential than his current strength. He used Ice Magic, a Caster-Type magic that utilized the element of ice. Gray used 'Static Ice-Make', a type of Ice magic that was characterized by the creation of inanimate objects like weapons or by affecting the environment around them. However, when Naruto compared that to his own Hyoton Kekkei Genkai, it fell short. It wasn't that Ice magic was weaker than Hyoton; Hyoton was superior only because Naruto could create anything with it whilst Ice mages used either Static or Dynamic Ice-Make.

Macao Conbolt was another Mage that Elfman had included in his list. The man was an adept at using Purple Flare, a magic that allowed to conjure flames that couldn't be doused by wind or water. He mentally snorted at that. _'I bet I could do that easily…'_

The most prominent names that caught Naruto's attention were Laxus Dreyar, the grandson of Makarov, and Gildarts Clive, Fairy Tail's Ace. From Elfman's description, Laxus was a Lightning Mage who was considered to be one of the strongest of the younger generation and rumored to be a strong contender for the S-Class exams. However, Laxus' attitude towards his comrades did not impress Naruto at all. He sounded a bit like Danzo, something that irked Naruto greatly. _'I'll have to keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't cause any unnecessary trouble like the teme did…'_

Unfortunately, Elfman hadn't met Gildarts in person so he couldn't say for sure what Magic he used. Several rumors were whispered in the Guild whenever his name was brought up, making it nigh impossible for the accurate details to be discerned. Still, almost everyone in the Guild acknowledged Gildarts as the strongest. That meant that his magic would be very powerful and that he was quite experienced in combat. Naruto idly wondered how Gildarts would fare against someone like the Sandaime Raikage. _'He probably might not survive…'_

Clearing his thoughts and focusing once more on the job, Naruto halted as Elfman suddenly stopped in his tracks. Peering at the tall boy, Naruto could see that his eyes had narrowed and a grin was spreading on his face. "Naruto-san, it seems we've found them." He slowly settled into a crouch whilst Naruto scanned the area until he finally saw them.

A dozen or so Gorians, about twenty meters ahead of them, were foraging through the meager vegetation for something. They acted like a herd, with two or three of them keeping an eye out for predators whilst the rest searched for fruits and other edibles.

"Hey, Elfman," Naruto whispered as he silently crept closer. "Do these Vulcans usually live in herds?" As he questioned his teammate, his Kage Bunshin was silently creeping up to one particularly adventurous Gorian which was at the farthest point away from the rest of them.

Elfman frowned slightly. "No, they usually live alone. Some happen to form groups, but even then the most you should expect would be four. For this many to have formed a coalition doesn't make any sense." He began to gather his magical energy as he flexed his right arm, his eyes fixed on the biggest one in the pack. "However, our job was to get rid of them so all these questions aren't really relevant." He cracked his knuckles as his legs tensed, ready to burst through their cover and attack.

Naruto shrugged as he also started moving towards them. "Whatever you say, big guy. D'you mind if I handle the left flank? They might not be as big as those on your side, but since I need the experience I'll let you handle the tougher ones." It really didn't matter whether he took on the smaller ones or the bigger ones; the only thing he wanted to do was to test out the effects of his techniques on these native Earthland creatures. Besides, he was also curious about Elfman's abilities. By letting him handle the stronger ones, he was more likely to get a good read on his fighting style than he would have if Elfman were to take the smaller fry.

Elfman gave him a grin, obviously happy that he was allowed to fight the stronger ones. "Knowing your limits and taking on the challenges that are not above your skills…just like a real man! Thank you for placing your well-being in my hands! I'll definitely protect you, BECAUSE I'M A REAL MAN!" He charged towards the Gorian herd, his yells surprising them greatly as they stopped doing whatever it was they were doing and watched as he charged towards the biggest member.

"Beast Arm: Black Bull!" As Elfman leaped towards his target and drew his right hand back, he focused a great deal of magic into his limb. The arm morphed quickly, transforming the tan human arm into a large, black arm of an unknown beast that was several times bigger than Elfman's original one. With a loud cry, Elfman bashed his huge fists right into the Gorian's face. The beast's face caved inwards momentarily before it was sent flying with impressive force through a nearby tree. As it crashed through the vegetation, the others seemed to come out of their trance-like states and began charging towards him with various war cries.

"Beast Arm: Iron Bull!" This time, his left arm transformed into a large metal fist, only slightly leaner than his right hand, and charged towards the closest Vulcans. Catching them in a brutal clothesline that lifted them off their feet, Elfman managed to wrap his fingers around their damaged throats and hurled them one after the other towards the rest of the group. He charged towards them once again, his fists raised and ready to dish out some pain.

Naruto sighed at his partner's rash actions, but chalked it up to the craziness that all Fairy Tail members seemed to exhibit. Lazily strolling towards his victims, he casually weaved three hand-seals and activated a D-Ranked Genjutsu on the closest target. The Genjutsu was designed to invert all sense of direction; up and down, left and right as well as forward and backward were reversed. However, it wasn't only their sense of direction that changed; the opponent's eyesight, direction of incoming attacks and injury locations were also inverted.

A smirk briefly appeared on his face as he felt the 'Sakasama no Sekai (Inverted World)' take effect on the group. Since he was only testing them, Naruto felt no need to kill them so quickly. _'Now that I know Genjutsu still works, time to test out Ninjutsu on them.' _Unfortunately, Naruto couldn't risk using his more deadly techniques whilst so close to Elfman. The Strauss was a good man, if somewhat eccentric, but Naruto didn't even know him for a day. Trust had to be established first before he could consider sharing a few of his secrets.

He couldn't risk allowing his battle prowess and techniques being heard of by the more unsavory people that existed in this world. While he liked Fairy Tail and his new Guild mates, the fact that they liked to boast about their magic didn't sit well with him. Sure, within the Guild it was encouraged to let them know some measure of yourself to effectively complete mission requests in teams…but literally explaining what their magic did in front of other Mages that opposed them?

He wasn't like that anymore.

After quickly deciding which jutsu to test out, Naruto gathered chakra as three Gorians stumbled towards him with panicked expressions on their faces, no doubt experiencing the unpleasant feeling of losing your sense of direction. "Futon: Daitoppa (Wind Release: Great Breakthrough)." Unlike his previous life, he made no attempt to shout his techniques in a battle. Like most of the more experienced shinobi he had assimilated, he usually kept silent as he cast his jutsu. At the moment, there wasn't any particular reason why he had reverted to his former habit; he just felt like doing it.

The Gorians were blasted away by a large gust of wind that blew them completely away from the rest of their herd. Naruto had used only the minimum amount of chakra to activate the jutsu but, even so, the effects were impressive. Ignoring the damage done to the surroundings, Naruto flashed through three more hand-seals. "Doton Kekkai : Dorō Dōmu (Earth Release Barrier: Earth Prison of Magnificent Nothingness)."

The earth rumbled as Naruto's chakra was poured into it, shaping it into a large dome that erupted with the force of a speeding bullet. Already disoriented by Naruto's Genjutsu as well as the Great Breakthrough, the Vulcans were unprepared for the dome that surrounded them and quickly found themselves trapped inside the dark and cramped dome of hardened earth.

A sigh left Naruto's mouth as he lazily closed the distance between himself and the dome. The last technique he was going to use was one he had managed to learn only because he had managed to bring back Terumi Mei, the Godaime Mizukage as his Animal Path. As he neared the dome, he lessened the chakra distribution in an area which resulted in that patch of rock loosening until it fell off. Giving the captured monsters no chance at all, Naruto released a cloud of corrosive mist that immediately began to corrode the earth dome. Inside it, Naruto could hear the shrieks and cries of pain and terror as the Vulcans were literally melted to goo. After blowing more mist for half a minute or so, Naruto finally let up when the sound vanished altogether.

With his task done, Naruto released the earth barrier and returned it to its original dust form. Paying no attention to the bloody remnants of the Gorians, he spun around and proceeded to head back towards Elfman.

**-Western Sector, Mirajane-**

Mirajane grunted as she none too gently slammed the last Gorian straight through the earth headfirst. Surrounding her were dozens of Gorians that lay on the ground, either unconscious or dead. Whilst it wasn't particularly gory, Mirajane had been brutal nonetheless in her decimation of the herd. A number of them had limbs that were stuck painfully at odd angles, others had half their bodies littered with deep burns and a few of them even had deep gashes that bled alarmingly into their fur, staining it bright red.

Mirajane let go of the unfortunate Gorian in her hands and slumped slightly in small relief, absently wiping the flecks of blood that had gotten on her off. Thankfully, she only had to resort to the Partial Take-Over spell in her fight; she may have managed to achieve the Full Take-Over before her siblings, but she was nowhere near mastering it. Not only was it draining on her magic reserves, but she couldn't use it for more than two fights without putting a great deal of strain on her body. After all, each time she activated her 'Satan Soul', she rapidly aged from the body of a thirteen year old to that of a young woman; she was no doctor, but she could safely assume that constant usage of that spell would be bad for her health.

"Man, that wasn't as exciting as I thought it would be. Then again, they are just Forest Vulcans." She muttered disdainfully. Shaking her head, she stopped as she felt a familiar magic spike in the Western sector. Her eyes widened in shock as the magic signature became warped and steadily vile, like a miasma.

"Damnit Elfman…" Her wings appeared in an instant and she kicked off towards her brother's location, praying that she would make it in time to save her brother and friend.

**-Elfman, Ten Minutes Before-**

Elfman punched another Gorian using his transformed arm and ducked underneath a telegraphed tackle that, if connected, would have sent him rolling several meters. The Gorian righted itself in mid-air and landed heavily on the ground, snarling at the white haired youth that had defeated its companions. However, Elfman was already moving with deceptive speed towards it. As he neared the Gorian, it lashed out with its longer arms in an attempt to catch him off guard.

Elfman just leaped over the Vulcan, his momentum carrying his form over the surprised Gorian. Whilst in mid-jump, Elfman twisted his form to the side and drew his leg back. "Beast Leg: Black Horse!" He kicked right at the Gorian's exposed nape as his leg contorted into a horse's foot, complete with a hoof and over two feet long.

The result was Elfman's foot burying itself into the Gorian's neck with a sickening crack as the magically-enhanced hoof broke through the spinal cord. The Gorian crashed to the ground lifelessly whilst Elfman landed in a disoriented heap nearby.

"That…" He coughed as a thin cloud of dust entered his mouth, kicked up by his failed landing. "Is how a real man does things." He choked out in between coughs. His cough persisted for a minute more before Elfman felt comfortable enough to move about. As he picked himself up, the sound of footsteps alerted him to Naruto's arrival. Lifting his head up, he managed to catch the sight of Naruto strolling towards him looking as pristine as he had been.

A delighted smile broke out on Elfman's face. "Naruto-san! I see you've already finished up your group; did you happen to experience any problems?" He questioned.

Naruto shook his head as his Kage Bunshin dispelled. "No, they were rather easy to beat. How about you, did you gain any injuries?" He asked as he sorted the memories that his clone had accumulated throughout the battle.

"Well, well, well. Looks like you two have been busy." The unfamiliar voice immediately set Elfman on edge and Naruto just narrowed his eyes. He had sensed the beings that had surrounded them as Elfman had been greeting him, but made no attempt to warn him in order to determine their target. Turning to face the individual who spoke, Naruto arched a brow as he took in the man's physical appearance.

The man was of medium height and wore a white baboon-like outfit that hid every part of his body. The baboon mash was a light blue colour and when Naruto gazed into the holes of it, he saw two red eyes with white pupils and blue eye shadow. Hearing a gasp from Elfman, Naruto twisted his head slightly to keep the mysterious man in his sights while peering at Elfman from the corners of his eyes. "What's the matter, Elfman? Who is he?" He asked as he readied himself for confrontation. Masked characters usually had some motive to hiding their identity; they were either famous throughout the lands, infamous for crimes that were extreme in nature or did so out of necessity.

Elfman took a step back as the man began to chuckle, his dark voice full of evil yet smooth as silk. "It would seem that even the naïve Fairies have heard of me…for you to not know me suggests that you haven't been here for long." The man spread out his arms, baring his right palm to the two. "I am Naraku, the Daiyoukai of the Assassination Guild Death's Head Caucus. Pleased to make your acquaintance." He finished his introduction with a little bow as Naruto activated his seals and released Samehada.

Naraku didn't seem to be fazed by the appearance of the chakra blade. If anything, he seemed amused by Naruto's actions. "That's quite an interesting blade, little man. Tell me, can it stand up against my Lizardmen?" Figures blurred out from the surrounding vegetation to appear in a circle around Naruto and Elfman, cutting any possible chance of escape. They were masculine, humanoid lizard-like creatures with spiked scales covering their bodies. A large plate covered their head whilst manes of hair grew from places ranging from the top of their skull to their back.

Naruto scowled as Samehada's bandages unwrapped themselves by some mental comman and hefted the blade unto his shoulder. "So you went through all this trouble to fight us, huh? Don't I feel special."

Naraku tilted his head in amusement. "You should. After all, not every new Mage gets to meet someone like me so early in their career. However," Hidden behind the mask, his ruby eyes glowed malevolently. "Why don't we make this more interesting?"

Faster than Naruto expected, but still slower than Naruto's own speed, Naraku's arm was thrust out and a pink object was speeding towards them. Naruto's first instinct was to send the item into his pocket dimension but doing so would reveal more of his skills to their enemy, whom Naruto could not afford to make mistakes against. During his first year after the Fourth Great Shinobi War, he had discovered that all those that were resurrected by the Edo Tensei were more careless with their bodies since they could just regenerate any wound that they received. Doing so made them more complacent, which at the time was a godsend for the Allied Shinobi Forces, and made Naruto determined to keep his edge despite having a body under the effects of Edo Tensei.

He could not afford to put himself in the spotlight at the moment. He wasn't ready for that kind of attention just yet. He blinked as he deliberately stopped himself from derailing the object, which was soon embedded within Elfman's chest.

'_Sorry about that Elfman but unfortunately, Makarov and I can't allow any more of my abilities to be discovered.'_

As Elfman immediately sank to his knees and cried out in pain, Naruto sensed the pink energy of whatever it was in Elfman turn black and evil. Then all hell broke loose.

**A/N: Once again, I have a Language paper tomorrow and this little chapter had been calling out to me. The next story I'll update, which will be before the 5****th**** of April, will be Saiyan Vizard. I'm still undecided on whether I should include the 'Super Saiyan God' transformation or not; until more information is disclosed, it will be put in the backburner. **

**I also have some good news for my 'Primordial Transcendent' fans. It turns out that my IGCSEs end in May, so the next chapter will be out latest by the beginning of June.**

**The teaser from the last chapter was for a further chapter ahead. The only reason I included it was because I wasn't sure when I would be able to update this story again, but rest assured that the fight between Naruto and Laxus won't be just at the Fantasia parade. There will be a fight between them before the time skip, which will be the start of Laxus' one-sided rivalry with Naruto and also establishes Naruto as a contender for the title of 'Strongest Fairy Tail Mage'.**

**Naruto will reveal more of his abilities after the timeskip; barring his fight with Natsu and upcoming fight with Laxus, Naruto isn't going to win his fights using just Ninjutsu. In fact, he'll become renowned for his swordsmanship and hand-to-hand skill.**

**Seeya.**

**MaelstromBankai.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Fairy Tail and any other anime or manga that appears in this fic.**

**Last Time:**

_**He could not afford to put himself in the spotlight at the moment. He wasn't ready for that kind of attention just yet. He blinked as he deliberately stopped himself from derailing the object, which was soon embedded within Elfman's chest.**_

_**'**__**Sorry about that Elfman but unfortunately, Makarov and I can't allow any more of my abilities to be discovered.'**_

_**As Elfman immediately sank to his knees and cried out in pain, Naruto sensed the pink energy of whatever it was in Elfman turn black and evil. Then all hell broke loose.**_

**Chapter 7: Take Over Troubles-Part 2**

The explosion of highly concentrated magic was not what Naruto was expecting. Instead of a huge flare of sinisterly coloured energy to expel itself from Elfman, the 'explosion' was simply a rather violent transformation. Sure there was a dramatic spike in Elfman's magical output and a transformation of said energy from 'friendly yet fierce' to 'malevolent and angry', but…Naruto was surprisingly disappointed.

The Juubi, at the moment of its transformation, evolved from its grotesquely bloated, round body with spiky protrusions growing out of its back to a lean, misshapen monster with elongated body proportions, an emaciated twisting neck, its tails ending in hands and its head having the ear on its right side, the mouth on the left side and eye in the middle. It certainly wasn't an improvement but, at the very least, it was dramatic.

Come to think of it, most transformations undergone by Shinobi were dramatic. Orochimaru's 'Yamata no Jutsu (Eight Branches Technique)' transformed him into a giant white serpent bigger than Manda with eight heads and eight tails. Hoshigaki Kisame's fusion with Samehada turned him into a huge shark-man, complete with fins, webbed hands and gills. Jinchuriki turned into chakra beings by sacrificing their skin and considerable blood…Elfman's transformation just didn't seem impressive to Naruto. Of course, his standards were different from everyone else, so some leeway had to be given.

The transformation began with Elman's muscled arms doubling in mass spontaneously. The morphing was unnatural, looking as though _**things**_in had made their way within his body and were forcing his anatomy to expand in order to make room for itself. A similar event was taking place within his legs; they were steadily bulking up, taking on the appearance of a feline. Judging by the large paws that were forming in place of his feet, it seemed like those of big cats. His spiky white hair turned jet-black and his nails sharpened to inch-long claws that were immediately buried within the earth as his body convulsed in pain.

Naraku's mocking laughter forced Naruto to remove his eyes from Elfman's transformation. The assassin Mage was already backing away, leaving the Lizardmen he had brought to confront Naruto. "My, my, the old man wasn't kidding when he said it would be potent. To think that only a shard of the Demon Lacrima would be enough to corrupt him." Naraku seemed to pause in thought, his chuckles silent for a moment before they resumed with greater enthusiasm. "Oh, I see."

Naruto shifted into a ready stance as he took a few steps back to keep both Naraku and Elfman in his sights. With Elfman in this state, he didn't feel like exposing his back towards him. If he was attacked he would be forced to reveal some of his skills. "What the hell did you do to him?" He growled, channeling a good amount of chakra into Samehada. "And what the heck is a Demon Lacrima?"

As expected by now, Naraku just released some more dramatic chuckles that echoed in the area. "Do you really expect me to tell you? Such stupid naivety. If you want to find answers, search for them yourself." He said as he turned his back to Naruto, not deeming him dangerous at the moment. "As to what I did to him," Naraku's ruby eyes turned to gaze into Naruto's crimson slit eyes, smoldering with a fire that rivaled those of Obito and Kisame. Naruto could see the substantial amount of power that Naraku's eyes exuded; they were the eyes of someone who had the power to ensure that their goals were achieved.

In some ways, they resembled his own eyes. The similarities were few , but they existed. The differences on the other hand, were distinctly obvious. "I suppose you could say that I awakened his true instincts." Naraku smirked at the creeping irritation in Naruto's eyes. "Farewell, little Fairy. Pray that we don't meet again…for the next time will be your last." With that said, a purple miasma cloud was expelled from within his cloak that hid his form entirely from Naruto…or so he thought.

Naruto could see his adversary hide within the foliage ten meters away from them. He grimaced at the thought of fighting someone as calculating and cunning as Orochimaru again. _'Samehada, do you mind eating that Demon Lacrima thing in Elfman?'_

Samehada was silent for a moment before she gave her answer. _**"Theoretically, I should be able to do so. I'm not sure how long it will take, but I'm positive that I can consume at least half of the foreign 'magic' in his body."**_

Naruto nodded minutely and dropped her to the ground just as the Lizardmen finally grew impatient and charged at him. "Do it." He whispered to his blade.

Samehada's bandages came undone as she used the chakra boost from Naruto to unleash her true self. The scales that were usually hidden from sight and keeping her in a sword form literally exploded into view and her large, demented mouth was exposed for all to see. Naruto knew the risk involved in his gamble-allowing Naraku to get even a glimpse of Samehada's abilities was not appealing to Naruto. However, all that Naraku would see would be her energy absorption talents; if he found those useful, since Naruto wasn't sure if there was any Magic that could replicate the effect, Samehada would not allow anyone but him to wield her.

Those spiky barbs of hers freakin' hurt. They fucking hurt like hell.

Despite the lack of limbs to allow movement, Samehada easily slithered through the approaching Lizardmen, who ignored her in favor of Naruto for some reason. Reaching the transforming boy, she sank her serrated fangs into his flesh and began to shave off the energy being expelled from his body.

Meanwhile, Naruto had already slid into the Hyuuga taijutsu style and waited patiently for the nearest creature to engage him. As they neared him, shouting out garbled war cries, he let his inquisitive mind get to work analyzing their speed and evaluating their reflexes. When the first one attacked with a magically-enhanced roundhouse kick, Naruto tilted his body to the side and cleanly avoided the attack.

Whilst the Lizardman was still in the process of completing its rotation, Naruto had already landed four lightning fast taps to its outstretched leg. Having the skills of Hyuuga Hiashi, Hyuuga Neji and Hyuuga Hinata made it possible for him to target four vital joints that caused the ligaments supporting the bone to collapse. As a result, the bone would suddenly and painfully slide out of its framework and effectively cripple his opponents.

Not even bothering to pay attention to the cries of the Lizardman as it landed heavily on the wounded limb, Naruto rushed towards the next batch. Their strikes were good, fast and co-ordinated such that Naruto mused that any other person would have suffered a bruise or so from them. Shifting his body at the last possible moment to avoid their blows, Naruto easily kept dodging their attacks and constantly forcing them to overextend themselves.

After one particular opportunity arose, Naruto struck with a palm strike that literally liquidated that Lizardman's heart. Sensing one approaching from behind, Naruto seamlessly switched from Jyuuken to Goken, if only for the moment, and slammed his left foot right in the creature's lung. There was a loud cracking sound that reported the breakage of the Lizardman's ribcage.

Switching back to Jyuuken form, Naruto shot a quick glance towards Elfman and let out a silent relieved sigh as he saw the changes steadily being reversed. _'I have to finish this quickly and deal with the puppeteer.'_ He shifted into the required stance for the 'Hakke Rokujuuyon Sho (Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms)' when he sensed a huge spike of energy approaching at high speeds.

'_What the-'_

"Darkness Stream!"

A large Magic seal appeared directly underneath the remaining Lizardmen. Multiple tendrils of darkness burst forth and enveloped them all. Mirajane landed with the force of a raging bull and struck her hands in front of the darkness prison. "Evil Spark!" Channeling a decent amount of magic into her hands, she thrust them towards their prison and released the electricity that had been building up.

**-With Naraku-**

The Daiyoukai of Death's Head Caucus sat atop a tree in the distance as he watched the blond mage take on his Lizardmen. The boy was skilled, very skilled in hand-to-hand combat if the display he had just seen was any indication of his ability. Naraku estimated the boy to be an expert in unarmed combat; he moved with the grace and fluidity of someone who spent a great deal of time training and his physical strength was indeed impressive for someone of his age. However, the 13 year old was no Master; he had a few holes in his stance and his reflexes needed some work.

On the other hand, his weapon was a most intriguing sword he had ever seen. His eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he swiveled his head to better look at it. _'Hmmm…it has the ability to absorb magic? That certainly would be useful against certain individuals.'_ Unfortunately, he didn't have any other information on the sword and was pressed for time; had those factors been negated, he would have tried to attain the blade. _'No matter. There will always be another time to seize that blade.'_

He smirked as he felt the other Strauss sibling heading towards their location. _'So little Mira finally appears…now that I have a rough estimate of her capability, its time I took my leave.' _He hopped off the tree branch and landed on the forest floor. _'But first,' _he drew power from another Demon Lacrima shard and focused. _'I should leave them one final challenge.'_

A purple magic seal appeared in the air before him and Naraku cast his spell. "Living Magic: Creation."

**-With Naruto and Mirajane-**

As the dust cloud whipped up by Mirajane's spell died down, Naruto finally got a good look at her new appearance. Her eyes had become darker and her eyelashes longer, with a dark, thin marking in a light zigzag-style crossing her right eye vertically; similar markings were present above her right breast and on both of her bare thighs. Her hair was wilder, jutting upwards and getting curlier, with the front ponytail growing longer, and her ears enlarged, extending backwards and gaining pointed edges, bearing resemblance to those of elves. He could see she had also gained sharp canine teeth, and her lips covered in dark lipstick. Her forearms and hands received noticeable changes, becoming covered in scales, and each sprouting a fin-like protrusion on its outer side. She also grew a large, stocky tail, seemingly made of metal plates or scales, getting smaller and smaller near its end. Her clothes also changed; her outfit was replaced by a dark, skimpy one-piece suit revealing her arms and legs, which was open on the front and the back, exposing most of her belly, wide cleavage and upper back too. Such cloth had lighter-colored edges taking on spiky shapes, and her similarly spiky collar was tied around the neck by a cravat tie. Her shoulders were tied in some thin belts protruding from her one-piece suit, and her feet were covered by matching, high-heeled thigh-high boots, which were decorated by lighter motifs on their upper parts, taking on the shapes of jagged blades pointing downwards on the front of her legs, and on the lower parts, in correspondence to her ankles and feet. She also donned a pair of gauntlets covering the back parts of her transformed arms.

Most importantly though, was the fact that she looked several years older. If he had to estimate, she looked to be around 19 years. A goofy grin settled on his face._ 'I think I'm gonna have __very__ pleasant dreams tonight.'_

Mirajane scowled heavily at the unconscious Lizardmen at her feet before she bounded towards Elfman, worry and concern shining in her eyes. As she neared his downed form, she caught sight of Samehada still feasting on the last traces of tainted magic in his body. Assuming the worst, she cried out to her younger brother. "Elfman! Wake up!"

Samehada took that as her cue to leave and she disengaged her fangs from his body, dropping him none too gently on the floor. He immediately began coughing violently, spewing out trace bits of saliva whilst he gingerly pushed himself up. By that time, Mirajane had already reverted back to her human form and was soothingly rubbing his back to try and ease his discomfort.

'_Samehada, come. It's time we returned.'_ Slithering back towards her master, the sentient blade found herself being picked up by the white-haired female.

Mirajane glared at the strange thing she was holding. Whatever had happened to her brother was surely due to this thing's actions and she was determined to pound it into oblivion for harming her brother. "What the hell is this-Fuck, that hurts!"

Samehada's deadly barbs made their debut, becoming well acquainted with the inner workings of Mirajane's left hand. They struck deep, probably going through her entire palm and out like a hot knife going through butter. Dropping the handle, Mirajane winced as the barbs were pulled out of her palms. _'Great…just fucking great.'_

To be fair, she was low on magic and exhausted from using her Take-Over spell. Satan Soul took a great deal of effort from her to activate and maintain, making it extremely taxing for her to use it more than twice in a day at her current levels. Add the fact that her hands were seriously injured and in no condition to defend herself, she felt pretty justified in swearing loudly at nothing in particular.

Naruto shook his head at her antics and strode towards her downed form. By now, Elfman was able to stagger to his feet and also made his way towards his sister. "Big sis, what happened to you?" He questioned as he noticed the mess that was her hand. His eyes narrowed and his tone grew angrier. "Who did this to you? I'll teach him what happens when he messes with us!"

"Um…" Mirajane and Elfman whipped their heads to see Naruto holding Samehada in his hands and scratching his head in a sheepish manner. "Do you mind waiting until I explain before you act?"

Elfman hesitated for a moment before nodding as Mirajane just shrugged. Naruto took his cue and set Samehada on the ground in front of them. "Samehada is a sentient blade that recently took a liking to me. Since then, all others who try to wield her end up paying for it," he wrinkled his nose at Mirajane's hand. "Usually by blood. I should have told you about it but I didn't think that situation would occur. That and I don't really know you guys that well. Now, why don't I bandage Mira-chan's hand and head back to the town?"

Elfman looked like he was about to say something but was cut off by Mirajane. "Hold up. First of all, why was your weird sword munching on Elfman in the first place? Secondly, why were you guys attacked by all those Lizardmen?"

"Well, Elfman and I happened to run into a member of the Assassination Guild Death's Head Caucus. His name was Naraku-"

"Wait, you met the Daiyoukai of Death's Head Caucus?" Mirajane interrupted with wide eyes. Naraku was an infamous member within that Guild for completing over 300 assassination requests. If she were to compare him to Fairy Tail's standards, he was most likely somewhere around the level of Gildarts Clive. Not a reassuring thought.

"Yeah…he brought the Lizardmen with him and managed to stab Elfman with something he called a 'Demon Lacrima shard'. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?" Seeing their confusion, Naruto sighed once more. "Figures he would use something extremely rare or at the very least, not well known. I'm guessing you felt that change in Elfman's magic energy?" He asked.

Mirajane nodded as Naruto settled down to a crouch and began bandaging her hands using those of Samehada. "Yeah, I just finished dealing with the Gorians in the Northern Sector when I first felt it." She replied.

Naruto nodded as he continued his tale, Elfman also settling into a crouch to listen to what had occurred. "He thrust the shard inside Elfman; it was way too fast for either of us to do anything to stop it." Well, that wasn't true but some falsifying was necessary for his future plans. "After that, Elfman began transforming into something and Naraku left. He probably expected those Lizardmen to take both of us down. Thanks for the save, by the way."

She just shrugged and averted her eyes away, a very light dusting of pink on her cheeks. "Don't mention it. You probably could have handled them on your own."

Naruto shook his head. "I still offer my thanks; any help, no matter how large or small, should be rewarded with gratitude."

Elfman jumped into the conversation. "So why was your sword attacking me? I don't think I was going after you." He puzzled, looking comedic with his confused expression.

"Since the shard was infusing your body with its own magic, I had the idea of Samehada feeding on that tainted magic to bleed it dry. Even if it contained a large amount of energy, Samehada would shave that amount faster than it would be released into you." With that, Naruto finished bandaging Mirajane's left hand and rose to his feet. Dusting off his pants, he opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by the appearance of an extremely large purple magic seal in the air.

"What the f-"

"**RRWAAAARRGGGHH!" **Like a hologram being projected, a creature appeared from within the seal. It was twice as big as Elfman with large long arms, sprouting sharp claws, and covered in thick fur, with its abdominal and pectorals prominent in the middle. Its hair took on a mane-like appearance that reached the back of its knees, its ears and canine teeth become pointed, and it had a pair of striped horns pointing upwards, starting from a plate on its forehead. Its legs, much smaller in comparison to its large arms and torso, grew dark hooves, and also gained a pair of protrusions sprouting from their shoulders, similar in appearance to its horns.

Hovering in the air beside the creature was Naraku himself. He gave the three of them a cheeky little wave before disappearing in a blur of motion.

The monster roared once more before it started bearing down upon them with surprising speed. Naruto cursed before he scooped Mirajane with his left arm and grabbing Elfman with his right. Channeling chakra into his feet, Naruto jumped out of the creature's path and landed several feet away with no effort.

Naraku was gone; Naruto couldn't sense his magic nearby and it wasn't possible to fool his new otherworldly senses. He could finish this quickly with Ninjutsu but Mirajane and Elfman were around; what would be the best thing to do?

He turned to Mirajane. "You wouldn't happen to have any ideas to take that thing down, would you?" He asked.

"Knock it unconscious and I can handle the rest." Surprisingly, it was Elfman who spoke up. His eyes were hard and unflinching as if he was daring Naruto to disagree with his idea.

"No, Elfman! You can't perform the Full Body Take-Over just yet! You'll end up being overtaken by it!" Mirajane glared at her brother, unwilling to let him go through with his plans.

Naruto arched a brow despite keeping his eyes on the charging creature. "Is there a problem with Elfman's Take-Over?" He leaped away from the beast's furious dash, curious as to why it didn't try using its arms whenever he jumped away. 'It's probably operating on its base instincts and can't utelise its limbs to their full effect.'

Landing smoothly, Naruto decided to give his own input. "Mirajane, perhaps we should attempt Elfman's idea." He cut off her imminent objections with a well-timed cough. "I know you care about your brother's wellbeing, but Elfman knows the risks and wants believes he can overcome them. I cannot say for sure, but his idea is the best we've got."

"But-" She protested weakly.

"If something does happen to him, you'll be there to help him through it. Believe in him." He set Elfman down and gave him an appraising look. "He is your brother, after all."

Elfman nodded his head in thanks as he began to gather the amount of magic necessary for his plan. "Thank you, Naruto-san. Hearing such words from a real man makes me strive to do better than before."

Naruto shook his head in amusement. "So all I have to do is knock it out?" He questioned as he began bouncing on the balls of his feet.

Elfman's nod was all the confirmation he needed. With another burst of chakra, he was halfway towards the monster, which was also on its third charge attempt. Seeing that his eyes would be hidden from their view, Naruto willed his Byakugan to appear. His eyes transformed from their usual red slits to white ones, with a tinge of pale lavender. Stopping five feet away from the charging beast, Naruto settled in the Jyuuken stance for the second time in the day.

"You are within my range…" He waited patiently for the beast to approach him, nostalgia flitting through his mind. In his eyes, the monster was replaced by the image of the old Uzumaki Naruto. It amused him greatly at how ironic the situation was; he and the beast had taken the roles of Neji and Naruto respectively. "Now…like back then…"

The beast was less than a meter away when Naruto finally moved. "Hakke…Ni Sho (Eight Trigrams: Two Palms)!" Two consecutive strikes stopped it cold in its tracks.

"Yon Sho (Four Palms)!" Another two strikes found their marks on the beasts flesh, making the total count four strikes.

"Hachi Sho (Eight Palms)!"

"Jū Roku Sho (Sixteen Palms)!"

"San-Jū Ni Sho (Thirty Two Palms)!"

Blow upon blow rained upon the creature with unerring precision and speed, afterimages forming and further enhancing the illusion of Naruto growing arms to attack it. Finally nearing the end of his technique, Naruto landed the final blow and walked past the frozen beast with his hands in his pockets. When he stood back to back with the creature, he silently finished the name of the technique. _'Hakke Rokujūyon Sho (Eight Trigrams Sixty Four Palms).'_

As though a silent trigger, the beast slammed unto the ground in blissful unconsciousness.

In no time at all, the sounds of footsteps announced Elfman's approach. Turning to face the youth, Naruto let out a chuckle at the awestruck face Elfman had. "Not that I mind you basking in the awesomeness that is me, but don't you have a job to do?"

Elfman grew serious and knelt beside the unconscious beast and concentrated. "Take Over!" A bright light began to radiate off Elfman as he absorbed and copied the power of the Beast. Naruto watched with interest at the display whilst Mirajane looked on in hope and concern. The light grew brighter as Elfman began to grow taller and more muscular. When the light finally died down there was Elfman in the Beasts form, the only difference being the white hair and tattered pants.

"E-Elfman?" Mira called gently. "Elfman do you hear me?" Elfman looked down at his sister and their third teammate before a smile made its way onto the Takeover mage.

"I knew I could do it." he said grinning happily.

Naruto tilted his head. "So long as you believe in yourself, you can achieve whatever goal you set your sights on." Despite his words, he had already activated his Sharingan in the likely outcome that Elfman lost control of the beast. Taking chances was not something he took lightly.

Mirajane wrapped her arms around Elfman and let out a relieved sigh. "I was afraid you weren't going to make it. What you did was very reckless and could have easily blown up in your face. Don't ever scare me like that again, you hear me?"

Elfman chuckled. "Sure thing. Now I can finally be as strong as everyone else an-" He stopped mid sentence as he dropped to one knee and began clutching his head. He began to thrash around and let out a beastly roar that sounded throughout the forest.

Naruto grit his teeth and made his choice. _'I'll have to reveal my Sharingan to Mira-chan; she's already seen me subdue Acnologia and we are the only ones here.' _As Mirajane backed away from her deranged brother, Naruto strode forwards and locked eyes with Beast Elfman.

The Sharingan's final commonly-used ability is capable of inducing a unique brand of hypnosis that involves suggesting actions and thoughts to the opponent through genjutsu cast by simple eye contact between both parties. As an experienced user of the Sharingan and having the wealth of experience from the strongest Uchiha in history as well as insights into its weaknesses from other shinobi, it was child's play for Naruto to suppress the consciousness of the beast within Elfman.

Within the space of a second, Elfman's bestial eyes gained their human awareness and he took a step back as he looked at Naruto in a new light. "You…you managed to subjugate the beast."

Mirajane was also in a similar state of shock. It was as though each time Naruto revealed something about himself, instead of providing answers, it drew up new questions that left her more than a little confused. "Naruto-kun…what happened? What did you just do?"

For a moment, Naruto gave no response and the fringe of his hair covered his eyes. "What I'm about to tell you is a secret that Master Makarov and I want to keep for a while longer. If you want to know…" He gazed at them with his Sharingan rotating hypnotically, pulsating with power and authority. "You must promise to never reveal this without mine or Master's permission."

Seeing them nod solemnly, Naruto began to talk.

**A/N: Whew! Aaaaanddd DONE! **

**I know I said I would work on 'Saiyan Vizard' but this has been on my mind for some time and I wanted to get it out before I began the next chapter. As such, the deadline for 'Saiyan Vizard' has been postponed to the 10****th**** of April.**

**Naruto did not bring out any shuriken, kunai or ninja tool whatsoever because he has them sealed on himself. Unsealing them in the fight would just be drawing even more attention to himself. To the reviewer who said Naruto would not let his friends get hurt…that is not the same Naruto I'm trying to portray. This Naruto doesn't trust easily; he may be friendly and helpful, but unless he has actually worked with the person or crossed fists with them, he won't find it that hard to manipulate them to his advantage.**

**Mirajane at the moment is a lot weaker than her S-Class self because she hasn't gotten there yet. She made S-Class when she was 16, three years away from this point. With training from Naruto, its possible that she could make S-Class the same time Erza did.**

**Just to let you know, Naruto isn't going to be a rule-breaker but he won't be a goody two-shoes. If he can get something done without being caught, you'll definitely see him do it. One example would be against Phantom Lord which you will see when it happens.**

**Any thoughts on Elfman learning to control the beast from Naruto? PM your opinions to me. The Demon Lacrima thing is something similar to the Shikon no Tama and more will be elaborated in the next few chapters. Naraku doesn't really use Living Magic; it's a magic that he can only use when he has the shard with him.**

**MaelstromBankai.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Fairy Tail and any other anime or manga that appears in each and every one of my works.**

**Chapter 8: The Aftermath **

The trip back to Everlue Mansion was quiet. The three Fairy Tail mages were all silent, each lost in their own thoughts in the aftermath of Naruto's revelation. To say they were shocked would be an understatement.

Elfman was back in his human form, seemingly fine but still willing to seek medical assurance before heading back to the Guild. His clothes were ripped and littered with blood, dust as well as a bit of foliage. He and Mirajane had drifted away from their blond companion, who was ahead of them by a few feet, trying to sort out their thoughts. Elfman's eyes strayed over to Naruto's back, questions burning in his mind. _'Such a frightening magic…however, it could help in my own ambitions._' He tightly clenched his fists as he recalled the strength of the beast's instincts that brief moment he had lost control.

The creature, even when unconscious and Taken-Over by Elfman, had been a force to be reckoned with. Had Naruto not suppressed it's consciousness at the time he did...Elfman shuddered to imagine the outcome. _'If Naruto could help me control my magic, this wouldn't happen again. I refuse to be weak…I have to get stronger,_' His clear blue eyes hardened with immense determination and resolve, _'In order to protect my sisters.'_

Mirajane was also deep in thought; she was recalling the first time she met Naruto. That dragon had been ready to attack anything and everything in its sight, yet the minute Naruto lay his eyes on its, it became as frightening as a statue. _'So that was how he subdued it,'_ she realized. She wasn't as well versed in the different types of magic in the world as the Master or Erza, but she could recall a kind of Eye Magic that allowed one to project images into the minds of others. Naruto's own, something he admitted was largely unknown to him, was just as deadly as Master's Light Magic. _'If it's so dangerous, yet still in its infant stages,' _her eyes narrowed as a thought took shape, _'his magic could be a 'Lost Magic' like Natsu's Dragon Slayer Magic.'_

Ahead of them, Naruto continued to make his way towards the Mansion to receive the payment for the job request. Revealing the Sharingan to Elfman and Mirajane was a gamble, but he had managed to impress the importance of its secrecy to them. He hadn't told them everything about it; the only things he mentioned were its ability to predict moves, cast illusions and copy attacks-the general abilities each Sharingan user had at their disposal when in the two tomoe stage. Thankfully, he could use Kamui using his normal Sharingan, something that Obito had managed to do in his former life, since he had no intention of revealing any secrets pertaining to the evolved stages of his Dojutsu.

His eyes snapped to attention as Everlue Mansion loomed in the distance. _'Let's see…there was a note about being paid for the number of monsters we put down.' _He cocked his head in thought. _'I definitely killed eight Gorians in the forest, another two Lizardmen before Mirajane appeared and…that's about it, I guess. So that means I should be paid two million, two hundred thousand jewels. Not bad for my first job request.'_

Approaching the gates, Naruto's good mood at the prospect of earning his money increased when he saw Duke Everlue's profile through a window. _'That guy must be seriously loaded to afford all that! Now I'm definitely gonna steal everything of value he has; even better, I get to kill him without anyone having leads towards me!' _Let it not be said that Naruto didn't find the use of the Rinnegan extremely satisfying.

With a new spring in his step, Naruto headed through the gates of the mansion and continued through it until he reached the library. He paused, waiting for his teammates to catch-up to him before entering. They were only a minute behind him, giving him enough time for Naruto to create a Kage Bunshin and transform it into a spider. The clone's Rinnegan eyes connected its eyes with Naruto's and it quickly crawled under the door and across the carpet, getting into a good position to kill Everlue without any problems.

Footsteps made their way towards Naruto and he gave the siblings an amused look. "What took you guys so long? Weren't you the one who complained about me being late?"

Mirajane frowned. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. When I'm back to 100%, I'll make you pay for that remark." However, both she and Naruto knew she wasn't going to do anything to him. It was more of a reflex than anything; from what he had observed of her, Mira had a reputation she wanted to uphold and from the whispers he had heard the Guild members make earlier in the day, it was one heck of a reputation.

He shrugged and twisted the door handle. "Whatever."

Entering the library, the group got right in Everlue's face. He was still seated in that comfortable looking sofa of his and was reading a large book with a picture of an incredibly ugly woman as the cover. If that wasn't bad enough, the woman was _nude_.

Sweat-drops formed on each of them as Everlue let out a perverted chuckle. _'The fuck?'_

Coughing loudly, Naruto clicked his tongue as Everlue finally noticed he wasn't alone. He quickly hid his book and gave them a look. "Yes? I suppose you're here to admit your failure to deal with them. That doesn't surprise me, Fairy Tail was said to be the most unreliable Guild in Magnolia."

Mirajane and Elfman bristled while Naruto just tuned him out. The guy wasn't going to live for much longer, so why allow himself to be baited by his words? "Actually, we've dealt with them and ready to receive our pay. Since you added that each monster was worth twenty-two hundred thousand jewels, my bill will be two million, two hundred thousand jewels. Elfman," he gestured towards the tall white-haired boy, "He took down seven monsters, so his pay should be one million, five hundred and forty hundred thousand jewels. Mirajane…"

He paused and turned to face her. "How many did you take care of?"

She shrugged. "About two dozen or so."

Naruto nodded and turned back to the rapidly paling Duke. "Yeah, so you have to pay her five million, two hundred and eighty hundred thousand jewels. That is, if you actually have that amount of money." He finished. "After all, if you don't pay us, people are gonna start gossiping about the richest man in the town not having enough money to pay for the incentive he placed in his own job request. Mages won't accept your requests because you would be known as someone who didn't give a crap about settling his dues…but hey, no pressure."

Everlue felt like slamming his head into a wall. Why had he put that notice inside his request again?

**-Shirotsume Town-**

The trio walked away from Everlue Mansion with their pockets considerably heavier. Elfman had gotten a change of clothes; he now wore a large striped shirt, which had alternating colours, and an exact copy of his pants along with brand new sandals. The group stepped into the Shirotsume station and booked a train to Magnolia.

When he felt they were a suitable distance away from the Mansion, Naruto's clone crept towards Everlue. The bastard was asleep at the moment, with his bodyguards on their lunch break and his servants away in town. The clone dispelled the transformation and quickly activated his Rinnegan. Grabbing the man's dangling arm, the clone pulled Duke Everlue's soul using the abilities of the Human Path. Assimilating the soul took a while, but the clone was able to successfully extract all information regarding his riches and merchandise. Unfortunately, he would have to pose as Everlue for a while before he 'died' of natural causes.

Transforming into Everlue, Naruto's clone let out a perverted chuckle as thoughts of the Duke's more…normal maids being under his control appeared.

Hey, it wasn't like the boss would mind…

**-Magnolia-**

Naruto sighed dramatically as he and Mirajane walked through the streets of Magnolia. Elfman had been admitted into a magical hospital, i.e. a hospital specially designed to treat mages. They still needed the go-ahead from the doctors if Elfman was going to be alright; after all, they weren't even sure what a Demon Lacrima was in the first place. Naruto had his own suspicions of what the Demon Lacrima could do; it was similar to the Curse Seal Orochimaru slapped unto his desired vassal in the sense that it gave the user a boost in strength and a darker shade to their energy. Anything else was nothing more than bits of ideas that were more than likely wrong. 'Makarov might know about this Demon Lacrima…it would be best to know more about it now than later.' His eyes narrowed imperceptibly as he recalled Naraku's smirking visage. _'I'll also need to find more information on that guy. Someone with such a reputation can't be underestimated.'_

Mirajane bumped Naruto's side using her hip. "Don't act like such a drama queen. You should be proud of yourself; most newbies don't ever get over two million jewels on their first few jobs."

"Well, I still haven't found a place to stay for Setsuna and I so excuse me for being a little dramatic." He dryly said. Avoiding Mirajane's half-hearted swipe, he grabbed her and made a twirl with his hands kept firmly on her waist.

The blush that lighted her face instigated a bout of merry chuckles from him. Mirajane swatted his arm, which was looped around her shoulders, and shot him a look. "What was that for?"

"What? I can't tease my new friend like that?"

"No, you can't."

"Bummer." Mirajane shook her head at his antics, ignoring the fact that she was smiling. _'I haven't been this comfortable with any guy I know…' _Thinking back to her male friends, the one she was closest to would probably be Laxus and even he had his moments of stupidity. From what she had seen, Naruto was much more laid-back and fun than Laxus, but could also get serious when the situation called for it. _'Naruto's not a bad guy to hang out with. Maybe I'll go on another request with him.'_ She thought.

"Say, Naruto," He lazily shifted his eyes to her, the only indication that he was paying attention. There was something in her voice, a hidden emotion that piqued his interest. Mirajane was loud, rude, condescending, and usually expressive regarding what she had to say…so what could possibly make her sound so quiet? "Would you…I mean…I just wanted to say…" She took in a deep breath and grabbed him into a hug.

Now that wasn't enough to surprise Naruto, but he was pretty difficult to surprise. "Any reason why I'm being rewarded?" His voice was low and questioning as his hands reciprocated her action.

Mirajane lightly slapped his arm even as she felt her face heat up. "B-Baka. I'm just thanking you-you know, for helping Elfman back there." She murmured out, still leaning into his embrace. She could see quite a number of civilian folk going wide-eyed at her situation but she was too content to make a scene. _'They must know about me…if I didn't know any better, I would say they look like we were being naughty in public.'_

For his part, Naruto was able to keep his cool when the topic of Elfman came up. True, he was feeling some guilt at how he allowed Elfman's condition to happen, but he had committed even worse acts to the extent that Elfman's plight would be seen as something insignificant. Before he met Setsuna, it had been a habit of his to practice his espionage and manipulation skills on various people; daimyos, simple merchants, the remaining samurai in Tetsu no Kuni, the other minor Hidden Villages and many others had their lives worsened or brighter because of his actions towards them. Having a large amount of Obito's personality, it wasn't hard for him to gain an obsession with collecting various powerful items.

The brains and chakra of the Five Kage-he had taken them as soon as he was able to get a handle on his his new body. The '_Rikudō Sennin no Hōgu _(Treasured Tools of the Sage of Six Paths) from Kumo were also stolen by him. The Forbidden Scroll of Konoha, the Raijin no Ken, the Dragon summoning scroll of Uzushiogakure…the list went on. "Yeah, I'm glad I could help…but we need to get stronger. This mission just showed me how lucky we were against that guy…if something like that happens again, we might not make it out alive." He softly spoke, slowly rubbing circles on Mira's back. It was something he had developed when Setsuna came into his life. "Right now, though, we should enjoy ourselves for surviving. Then, we train until we're strong enough to protect our precious people."

"Precious…people?" Mirajane asked, drawing back to look at Naruto in the face.

Naruto nodded. "It's something a friend taught me before he died." An understanding light appeared in Mirajane's eyes and Naruto continued. "He believed that when a person has something important they want to protect, _that's_ when they become truly strong."

Mirajane immediately thought of her siblings as she took in his words. Other images began to form behind them; Makarov, Cana, Laxus, Macao, Natsu, Wakaba, Gray, even Erza was amongst her list. "Do you have a precious person?"

"Once. She died a few years ago." No more was said as they withdrew from their embrace, thought Naruto still had his arm around Mirajane's shoulders.

The gates of Fairy Tail came into view, a welcome sight for both mages (well, mage and shinobi) and Mirajane slid out of Naruto's hold. "Come on. Lisanna must be pretty worried about us and I'm sure that redhead bitch is back." She mock-snarled.

A raised brow was all she received. "Just why do you hate each other so much? Whenever you two meet, it's like you're on opposite sides of a war." A thought struck him. "Are you guys in-denial lesbians?"

To see Mirajane stumble in surprise was something that Naruto would come to appreciate. She caught her footing and whirled around with a horror-struck face. "Wh-What the fuck are you talking about?! I'm straight, damnit!" She raised her fist at him, scowling heavily at the insinuation that she and Erza were into each other. 'Even if I was, there's no way I'd go after that hussy even if I was paid to do so!'

Naruto raised his hands in surrender. "It was just a thought, no need to bite my head off." He muttered as they entered the Guild.

**-Makarov's Office-**

Makarov was happy. The more troublesome members (Cough…Gray…Cough…Natsu) were away on a job request, meaning the Guild was much quieter than it normally was. The Magic Council hadn't bothered him ever since he handed in his report and his beer sponsor had been kind enough to even give them twice as much beer as they ordered! Laxus was still in his attitude phase though, the only thing that marred his day. _'Well, that and Naruto's earlier stunt.'_ He admitted. No matter how many times he remembered it, he still found it a mouthful to digest.

'_It's hard to believe that the day isn't over just yet…_' Makarov was shaken out of his thinking by the raps on his door. Grumbling incoherently, he gave himself a one-over before shouting. "Come in, its open!"

Naruto entered the office just as a shriek sounded off in the Guild Bar. He paid no attention to it whilst Makarov groaned and slapped his palm unto his face. "Of all the times, why now? It was so nice and peaceful without those two fighting."

"I take it that they've been like this since they met?" Naruto asked as he settled into the seat opposite Makarov.

Makarov frowned as he picked himself up. "Unfortunately. I wonder if they ran afoul of each other before they ended up here; that would certainly explain their complicated relationship."

"Well, I'm not here to talk about Erza-san and Mira-chan's rivalry." He leaned forward to peer into Makarov's eyes. "Something happened during our job request that left me worried. Tell me, what do you know of Naraku and the Devil Lacrima?"

Makarov whitened. "You run into Naraku? And you're still alive? Remarkable." He blew 0ut harshly as he gripped his hands. "Were you in any danger?" His voice was controlled, but Naruto could detect the worry and concern for his children in it. Then again, Naruto had inadvertedly made his fears more justified. After all, he had depicted himself as a seasoned Chunin during their first talk.

"Elfman had a shard of the Demon Lacrima embedded within him, but Samehada managed to consume all the tainted magic before it could seriously affect him. Unfortunately, his Take-Over magic might be even more difficult to control." Naruto stated.

Makarov closed his eyes. "Elfman must have been hit pretty badly by that news. Spending so much time trying to catch-up to his sisters only to have his hard work destroyed in an instant…it makes my heart ache in sympathy."

Naruto scratched his cheek as he mentally reviewed all he wanted to say. "I didn't say that my analysis was accurate. I may have made a mistake in my diagnostics. Regardless, I was wondering if Elfman's problem was more to do with him than the difficulty of the Take-Over spell." Naruto made a hand-sign and Makarov's wooden desk began to strain, as though something was trying to come out of it.

Makarov literally tumbled over in shock as a branch quickly grew out from his desk. Wood Make Magic was something he had seen in his life, so he wasn't surprised at what just happened. What did shock him, was the calming feel the wooden construction gave off. It felt so nice and peaceful that he even took an unconscious step forward to get closer to the branch.

"I see that you've felt the effects of my 'Mokuton (Wood Release)'." Naruto's voice broke the spell that Makarov found himself under and drew his attention. "I was planning on helping Elfman train his Take-Over by acting as a control in case he loses himself to the spell." With a quick pulse of chakra, the branch disintegrated just as quickly as it was created. "But first, please enlighten me on the Demon Lacrima Naraku made mention of."

Makarov nodded, idly stroking his beard. "Alright. I'll tell you about that cursed item. Physically, it is a sphere that appears to be made of some crystalline material that changes colour according to the wishes of those that use it. Much of the Demon Lacrima's origins are shrouded in mystery; I can only warn you of its abilities." He warned.

Naruto shrugged. "I didn't expect anything more than that. Still, any knowledge is worth more than gold at the moment."

"Anyway, the Demon Lacrima has the power to grant immense power unto whoever wields it. Even a shard of it is enough to boost a being's power twofold. With enough shards, even the weakest mage would have more than enough power to use Lost Magic without the issue of any health risks. Not only is it capable of giving power, but it can also bestow one wish to whoever manages to find it." His eyes locked unto Naruto's. "If Naraku is searching for the pieces of the Demon Lacrima, then we must make preparations. Naraku is a very deadly enemy, Naruto; even my former master was unable to emerge victorious in their bouts."

Naruto nodded and stood up. Turning towards the door, he gave a small wave. "I'd like to spend more time talking, but I still need to find a place for Setsuna and I to sleep. I'll talk to you later, Jii-san."

**-Magnolia-**

Setsuna and Naruto followed the short and stout man that had claimed to own one of the best, if not the best, apartment in Magnolia. The journey took about five minutes from the Guild and was located in the heart of the town, allowing easy access to and from the Guild as well as the various stores of Magnolia.

As soon as the man finished showing them around, Naruto cast a Genjutsu to make him think they had paid the initial payment as well as that for the next three months. Making sure that the man was long gone, Naruto turned to Setsuna. "Why don't we rest today and work on what needs to be done to the apartment tomorrow?"

She nodded minutely. "Hai. It would be best for us to rest while we still can."

Naruto nodded as well. "Before that," he made the seals for the Summoning Jutsu and slammed his hands on the floor. A large cloud of smoke appeared as Naruto stood tall once again. "I need to start setting up a new spy system in this world. Thankfully, we have the best person for the job." He smiled as the smoke disappeared, revealing Naruto's Human Path.

"It's been a while…Ero Sennin."

**A/N: Ugh…I'm pretty tired, so I'll make this quick. The Demon Lacrima is something I'm still fine-tuning, mainly its background. Any ideas you feel will be necessary are always appreciated. I know I said Saiyan Vizard would be updated, but I guess even I can't tell what I'm going to do next. Unfortunately, school is starting again…so please pray for me/ wish me luck.**

**Next chapter will be the last of the pre-canon arc. It's gonna be pretty good: Naruto's S-Class Trial and the first clash between Laxus and Naruto. (I've been reading Bleach fervently recently, so please don'tbe mad is I make Naruto seem Aizen-like. That guy is the King of Trolls!)**

**I'm not revealing his Paths like I usually would. I'm offering you guys to suggest who the other four should be. For now, Mei is the Animal Path and Jiraiya is the Human Path. Next chapter should reveal insight on how Naruto managed to find Jiraiya when Kabuto couldn't.**

**P.S. Can somebody direct me to where I can find any ****Dakara Boku wa, H ga Dekinai (So I can't play H?) fanfiction? I just finished watching the anime and an idea is stirring in my head. Thanks.**

**Ja Ne**

**MaelstromBankai.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Fairy Tail or any other anime/manga that appears in my fics. If I did, there would be a lot more fanservice in them.**

**Chapter 9: Confrontation! **

Naruto smiled as he cast an eye over his Godfather's familiar form. Jiraiya was clad in his usual green short shirt kimono and matching pants, under which he wore mesh armor that showed out of the sleeves and legs of his outfit with his red haori. Unlike before, he wore no hand-guards, having replaced them with metal arm bracers. His missing appendage had been replaced, removing any evidence of the results of his battle with Nagato, and his hair even longer. Even without the Byakugan activated, Naruto could see that his mentor's body had become more toned and slightly leaner than when he was alive. "It's been a while, hasn't it Ero-Sennin?"

Jiraiya cracked a smile at the mention of his once hated nickname. "It certainly has, gaki. I almost figured you had forgotten about the rest of us in that pocket dimension of yours." His gaze slid over to Setsuna, who was resting on the wooden chair beside Naruto, and a dopey grin made its appearance on his face as hearts appeared in his eyes. "Whoa! Nice catch, Naruto! She's definitely a ten!" Steam erupted from his nostrils as he gave Naruto a double thumbs up.

Naruto smirked. "Oh yeah, she definitely is. Sorry for not introducing you two earlier, but I had my reasons." He made his way across the spacious living room and plodded on the chair opposite Setsuna with a sigh. "Take a seat, Ero-Sennin. There are some things we need to discuss immediately."

Jiraiya lost his goofball appearance at the serious tone of Naruto's voice and his eyes hardened while his stance straightened. There was a time for everything, and right now was the time for Konoha's Gama Sennin to come out. He sat on the third seat, which was on Naruto's left side, making sure to keep his body angled towards Setsuna in the situation that she attacked him._ 'Most unlikely, but lesser things have killed many Shinobi and Kunoichi. Also,' _He narrowed his eyes at her. _'She looks very much like that Uchiha…Sasuke.'_

Naruto clasped his hands as he leaned forwards on his seat. "Jiraiya, meet Uchiha Setsuna. Setsuna-chan, this guy's the pervert I told you about." He introduced, wondering just how both would react to each other.

For his part, Jiraiya was silent as he stared at the girl in a new light. The only Uchiha survivors during the Clan Massacre were Itachi and Sasuke; Obito didn't really count since he was assumed to be K.I.A at the time. "An Uchiha, eh? I don't suppose you were in Konoha at the time of the Uchiha Clan Massacre, were you?" He asked, his eyes trailing over her form in search of clues of her parentage. Unfortunately for him, Setsuna still wore her usual cloak that hid her alluring figure.

She rolled her eyes. "Please stop looking at me. My mother and tenant would be…upset if any unworthy male ogled me." She crossed her arms under her breasts, though the action was hidden from Jiraiya because of her cloak. "To answer your question, I suppose you could say that I was in Konoha at the time of the Massacre…but you could also be right if you assume that I wasn't there. It all depends on which Konoha you are talking about." She answered coolly, her onyx-coloured eyes bleeding into the Sharingan with unerring ease.

By this time, Naruto leapt into the conversation. "What Setsuna-chan means is that she isn't from our world; she was sent across dimensions by her brother in a last-ditch attempt to evade her captors." He leaned back into his chair and crossed his legs. "From what she's told me, Jinchuuriki from all over the Elemental Continents were being rounded up and experimented on by Konoha. In her world, Konoha was known as the most bloodthirsty and battle-crazy Hidden Village; they even had their own mercenary group designed for the sole purpose of defeating and capturing Jinchuuriki: the criminal mercenary group, 'Daybreak'."

Had Jiraiya not explored the possibilities of Time-Space Fuinjutsu, he would have had a hard time believing Naruto's claims. "Wait, wait, wait." He pointed at Setsuna, slight disbelief colouring his words. "You're saying she's a Jinchuuriki?" At Naruto's silent nod, the Gama Sennin turned to face the Uchiha heiress. "If you don't mind me asking, which Bijuu do you hold?" He asked, having an inkling of which one she could contain.

Setsuna held up nine fingers and Jiraiya palmed his face, annoyed by himself. _'Well of course she would carry a powerful one; her allies went so far as to send her away through dimensions to prevent her capture.'_ Lifting his head, he leveled a gaze on his successor. "Alright, Naruto I think it's time you told me everything that's happened to you."

Naruto inclined his head. "I was just about to do so, Ero-Sennin. It all ties to the reason I summoned you in the first place." Moving into a more comfortable position, Naruto began to recount the events that had transpired since the last time he spoke with his godfather. He began from his meeting with Setsuna, trailed slightly over his exploits in the Elemental Nations, touched upon the topic of his new strength and finally concluded about his time in their home-world. "I left because of many reasons…reasons that I don't wish to discuss right now." He stated, his words firm and unyielding.

Jiraiya leaned back, a tired sigh seeping through his very being as he closed his eyes. "While all that is indeed interesting, you still haven't made it clear your purpose for summoning me." He prodded, trying not to think about some of the things Naruto said to him.

Naruto narrowed his eyes as Naraku's smirking visage floated in his mind, taunting him from wherever he was. "When we arrived in this new world, Setsuna-chan and I joined a Guild called Fairy Tail." Seeing Jiraiya's confusion, Naruto proceeded to explain what little he knew about Earthland to his former sensei. "In Earthland, Mages band together to form a 'Guild'; I suppose you could associate them with the Hidden Villages, with Mages being the equivalent of Shinobis. However, our world is much stronger than theirs."

"Why would that be? If they have similar yet different abilities from Shinobi, wouldn't that put them on some even playing field?" Jiraiya questioned, wondering why Naruto of all people would judge these Mages without getting a proper indication of their strength.

"Normally I'd say yes, but not this time. Guilds that partake in requests that are less honorable than people would like to have are labeled as 'Dark Guilds' because the Mages believe themselves to be those that protect the civilians. As such, they need to keep the image of themselves in a targeted light which will endear themselves to the public." Naruto snorted, recalling his bafflement when Makarov explained things to him back in the Master's office. "They don't fight with the intention to kill, and those that do lack the cunning and intelligence that distinguish Shinobi from everyone else. Scum that don't deserve to live are sent to prison cells instead, in the belief that they will learn from their mistakes and turn over a new leaf."

"As always, there are exceptions to this mentality. One of them was an assassin from a Dark Guild who appeared on my first job request." Setsuna's heap whipped towards him in surprise. He hadn't told her anything about that! "His name is Naraku, the so-called Daiyoukai of the Assassination Guild Death's Head Caucus. He's my reason for summoning you."

Jiraiya knew what he was expected to do. "You want me to spy on him, learn everything that there is to him and have him killed after extracting all useful information. Would you prefer to kill him yourself or should I handle it on my own?"

Naruto shrugged. "It matters not to me whether he dies by my hands or not. All I want you to do is find any information about him and an object he seeks. From what Jiji told me, an item like the Demon Lacrima would be extremely useful and dangerous in the wrong hands." He fixed his gaze upon Jiraiya once more. "Since this mission could probably take as long as three years, I'll lend you some of my Pseudo-Paths to help in achieving success."

Jiraiya nodded and stood up. "When do I begin?"

"Immediately. The spider must learn to never provoke an impatient God."

**-The Next Morning-**

Naruto and Setsuna walked towards the Guild slowly, taking their time to enjoy the silence of the early morning. The early beams of the rising sun indicated just how early it was; Magnolia seemed to be still asleep. Stores were unopened yet, only a handful of sleepy people were on the streets and the cheerful sounds of birds chirping echoed throughout the town.

Naruto glanced at Setsuna, who seemed to be lost in thought. "Setsuna-chan…"

She blinked, startled out of her thoughts. "Hai, Naruto-sama?"

"How did you spend the previous day? Did you go on a job request?" Getting somewhere to stay, talking to Jiraiya and the ever-present thoughts of the Demon Lacrima had completely pushed that question out of his mind until the moment.

She shook her head, her long hair whipping about. "No, I sought to familiarize myself with the other Guild members and gather information on their abilities." She paused, as though unsure of what she was about to say. "I made a new friend…well, I think I did. Her name is Cana Alberona, one of the eldest of our age group. She uses Card-Magic, a type of Holder Magic which revolves around the use of Magical cards, which can produce a variety of effects, such as generating things, and even seemingly living beings. She's quite nice and fun to talk to."

Naruto chuckled and draped his arm around her shoulders. "Well, I'm pretty sure that she'd be delighted to have you as a friend. I take it that Kurame approves?"

"Hai, Okaa-san sees potential in Cana to become someone great in the future." She leaned into his body, his arms drifting from her shoulders to her waist. "She also wants to come out and enjoy herself."

Naruto sweat-dropped. _'The last time she said that, Tetsu no Kuni got submerged in water…'_ He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Will she promise to behave?"

He felt Setsuna stiffen momentarily before wrapping her hand around his waist and nuzzle up to him with inhuman sensuality. "Mou,Naruto-kun…don't you trust me?" She turned to meet his eyes, her usual onyx-coloured eyes transformed into a bloody crimson with black slits. "After all, I'm not interested in causing any serious mischief." She batted her lengthened eyelashes and pressed her body closer to his.

Naruto used his unoccupied hand to run his fingers through her hair, earning a soft purr from the possessed Uchiha. "Your definition of the word 'mischief' involves leveling mountains and raising tsunamis. Besides, don't you think people in the Guild will wonder who you are and what you are to Setsuna if you treat her as your daughter in public?"

She smirked, drifting away from Naruto and flicking her hair. "Deception and lies are a part of me, just as the destructive tendencies Kaa-san passed unto my siblings and I. Just leave everything to me." She winked.

Naruto shrugged. "I doubt you would like to come out now; you enjoy your beauty sleep too much to be active so soon." They had reached the Guild and Naruto stepped forward to push the door open for Setsuna/Kurame.

She gave him another fanged grin before Setsuna's eyes returned to their normal colour, signifying that the Uchiha was in control once again. She sighed and rubbed her head. "Kaa-san can be so much like Matatabi-sama that it isn't funny."

Entering the Guild, Naruto could see only Makarov and a few of the older members out and about. Spying the young brunette Setsuna made friends with, Naruto drifted closer to her. As he neared her, he took in her attire: a light blue camouflage patterned bikini top, a pair of calf-length brown pants, with two bands hanging from each leg and a light belt covered in heart motifs loosely tied around the waist, and high-heeled sandals. She also had a pair of metal bracelets adorning her biceps, bearing an incision composed of many "_A_"s, and three simple, round metal bracelets on her right wrist. _'She's got an odd taste in clothing; most women prefer to expose enough to appear tantalizing to men, but she doesn't seem to care about that. Then again, I can't really talk about her taste in clothing; I mean, I used to wear that damn orange jumpsuit all the time.'_

Shaking his head to dispel those thoughts, Naruto slid unto the seat next to the brunette and offered an eye-smile. "Good morning. I'm Uzumaki Naruto, Setsuna-chan's best friend. You must be Cana Alberona, correct?"

Cana was a slim girl of average height with long, wavy, flowing brown hair, almost reaching down to her waist, the shade of which varies from time to time. Two strands of hair framed her face and reached down below her shoulders, with the left one starting from a prominent, high fringe. She had large brown eyes, with long eyelashes. Her black Fairy Tail stamp is located on the lower left part of her abdomen, right above her hips. She blinked, surprised at his sudden appearance, before she extended her right hand.

"Oh, good morning to you as well! Sorry for not introducing myself to you earlier, I heard that you were busy and didn't want to be a bother." Naruto clasped her hand and Cana felt herself blush lightly at the strength of his grip. "I remember Setsuna-chan mentioning you in our talk yesterday. You know," She gave him a once over, her blush darkening slightly, "You're exactly as she described."

Naruto arched a brow. "Well, I've heard some things about you from her. From what she said, you seem like someone we can both depend on."

Cana waved her hand, trying to not show how affected she was by his words. "W-Well, as the oldest of our group, I have to do my best to look out for the others. I have to be there for all those younger, to give them someone they can come to for help, someone they can look up to."

Naruto nodded in agreement. "That sounds like a worthwhile goal. But, are you sure it's wise to do all that by yourself?"

Cana sighed as she slumped in her seat. "Who else is there? Master is too busy goofing off and running the Guild, Macao and Wakaba don't really care what the younger ones do so long as it doesn't get interfere with their drinking, Laxus is always away and the other kids don't really take my words seriously."

"What about Lisanna? She keeps Natsu and Gray in line." Naruto pointed out.

"She can only do so much in this Guild and asking her to help in achieving my target is something I just can't do." She blinked once again and whipped about to point at Naruto. "You're almost my age, aren't you? You could be my assistant and help me out!" She breathed excitedly.

Naruto tapped his chin in thought. "Well…I suppose I could help out whenever I can. I'm going to be pretty busy for the next month or so, so I doubt I'd be of much help." He mused.

Cana made to ask but clasped her mouth shut, trying not to come across as nosy. "Since you're curious. I'll tell you why I will be busy." He leaned in to whisper to her. "I'll be helping Elfman perfect his Take-Over Magic." 'That and some other things…' He added mentally.

Cana made an 'oh' and smiled. "It's great to see someone helping Elfman with that problem of his; it's been really eating at him for the past month." She perked up as Makarov finished placing the requests for the morning on the Request Board. Throughout their discussion, many more members had turned up at the Guild; Natsu and Happy were eating in one corner, Gray was eating a snow cone with Macao, Wakaba and Reedus were chatting and Erza was…heading their way?

"Seems Benihime-chan wants to cash in her fight right now." Naruto observed, eyeing the redhead as she approached with Setsuna in tow. He wondered if it would be best for the two to go on a job request and sort out their differences. _'Must keep that in mind for another time. This tension between Erza-san, Mira-chan and Setsuna-chan isn't going to just resolve itself, despite how much I wish it to.'_

Everyone watched with interest as Erza stepped up to Naruto and planted her hands on her hips. "Good morning, Naruto-san. Are you ready for our scheduled spar?"

Naruto sighed. _'Trust her to get right to the heart of the matter.'_ He looked at her with his usual aloof expression. "Oh? And just how were you able to discover the fact that I had secured a place to stay for Setsuna-chan and I?"

Common sense dictated that Setsuna must have told her about his purchase, but that was kicked out of the window as she answered his question. "I asked around Magnolia for your whereabouts and one of your neighbors mentioned you renting one of the more luxurious apartments." She replied.

Naruto sweat-dropped. "Are you really that anxious to try and beat the crap outta me?" He deadpanned.

The doors slammed open and Mirajane launched herself towards Erza, her fists raised to fight. "Hold up, bitch! I'm fighting Naruto today, so pack your ginormous ass outta the way!"

As expected, Erza whipped her head and scowled at her rival. "I was first, so you go get in line. Haven't you learned any manners at all?"

"Why you-"

Naruto rose from his seat, cutting their stand-off from escalating any further. "Look, we could waste time arguing like this or you two could just fight me at the same time." He stretched himself, paying no mind to the incredulous gazes of the other members. "It's not like I care if there is an order; either situation is fine."

Natsu and Gray, both looking on in interest, dropped their jaws. Sure they loved a good fight as much as the next person, but taking on _**those two**_ at the _**same time**_? That was just insane! Beside them, Lisanna looked on in worry for her recent friend. According to Mirajane, he had been in a tough fight on his first job request, which was just the previous day. Erza and her sister were also very strong, both of them capable of great things and competing for the title of Fairy Tail's Strongest Female Mage.

Lisanna really wanted to believe that Naruto would hold his own against the onslaught of the two Mages, but she feared that he would end up overexerting himself in the fight.

Mirajane grinned and punched the air. "Alright! I hope you like it rough, cause that's how I roll. I'll have you down in three minutes!"

Erza nodded, a smile lighting up her face. "While I would have preferred fighting you by myself, this course of action would better help in gauging your level of skill. Shall we meet at the venue of your fight with Natsu?"

Naruto nodded and turned to Setsuna and Cana, the latter watching in wonder. "Are you two coming? It'll be fun."

Cana seemed unsure and looked to Setsuna for help. The Uchiha shrugged and made to follow, prompting Cana to rise as well. After all, it wasn't like they had anything better to do at the moment; Setsuna and Naruto still had a lot of money left from Naruto's job request and Cana wanted to go on a job request later in the day.

What did they have to lose?

**-Fairy Tail Grounds-**

Naruto bounced on the balls of his feet almost lazily as he stared both females in their eyes. From what he had seen of Mirajane, she was a hand-to-hand specialist; her entire arsenal of spells, or the spells she had exhibited, complemented her various physical attacks. She was very fast, almost at the speed of Post-timeskip Lee, and her strength when she activated her Satan Soul rivaled that of Sakura's. Fighting with her would be fighting a war of attrition; her body wasn't matured enough to maintain the spell for long, drawn out fights. Overall, she wouldn't be a problem.

Erza, on the other hand, was a mystery. He had no idea of what magic she used and all that most people would tell him was that she was scary in battle. Sure, he was stronger than just about everyone in this world, but he had been raised as a shinobi and reincarnated as a shinobi. Why waste energy using flashy jutsu when he could just use the method that required an almost insignificant amount of chakra in comparison?

Anyways, Erza was a blank and the only way he would find out about her abilities would be in battle. Slamming his hand on the earth, a puff of smoke obstructed the view for a brief second before a gust of wind revealed Naruto wielding a sheathed sword. The sheathe was a simple white one, albeit with several rune lines running across its length. At the end was a purple thread that was tied in the shape of the letter 'Z'. The daitō was as long as his height, with its cross guard forming the shape of the Uzumaki Clan spiral.

Upon seeing the summoning, Erza felt her interest peak. _'A Requip? It looks very different from the ones I've witnessed…is it a special Requip? Or could it be Rune Magic?' _

"Well then, shall we begin?" Naruto asked, unsheathing his blade. The blade glowed almost evilly in the sunlight.

Mirajane wasted no time. "Take Over: Satan Soul!" A large magic seal appeared over her and encased her in a cocoon of purple energy. In less than a minute, Mirajane appeared in all her Take-Over glory.

Erza began to glow brightly as a magic seal appeared around her. "Requip: Flight Armor!" In an instant, Erza's usual clothes disappeared, leaving behind an outfit that made Naruto raised a brow. This new armor featured very few armored parts. It was cheetah printed, and the outfit had a large collar around Erza's neck and a tail hanging from the back of her shorts, both made of bushy fur, plus a pair of large cheetah's ears adorning both sides of her head. She wielded a pair of short swords with elaborate hand-guards similar to a rapier's, shaped like rose's thorns.

Naruto didn't waste any time, taking their actions as the signal to begin. He dashed towards Erza with incredible speed, hoping to force her to reveal her magic and fighting style. As he neared the redhead, his eyes widened momentarily as he saw her move out of his path at his current speed. _'What?!'_

Erza appeared behind him, ready to land her drop-kick when Naruto vanished from her sight. She froze in shock, allowing Naruto to land his bicycle kick in her mid-riff that sent her tumbling. Sensing Mirajane coming from behind, Naruto quickly lashed out with a roundhouse kick that Mirajane narrowly avoided. He dodged Erza's flying kick with a well-timed hop and parried her rapier using his blade.

Channeling wind chakra into the blade, Naruto shattered her swords with one slash. Throwing a punch, Naruto's fist was caught by Erza, who then tried to unbalance him by pulling him towards her. Rather than resist, as she thought he would, he let himself be pulled along and used the momentum to violently head-butt Erza.

Erza reeled from the blow, slightly disoriented by it. Naruto would have continued his onslaught but was forced to avoid the streams of dark energy that Mirajane kept firing at him. He continued avoiding the pellets of doom and reached into his clothing to activate the storage seal. When the kunai pouch appeared, Naruto grasped three with his unoccupied hand and coated them with fire chakra.

"Requip: Flame Empress Armor!" Erza was back in the fray, her costume changed once again. She now wore armor that was dark red predominantly, but also sported orange and black parts, with the first ones being shaped like flames and the second resembling dragon's limbs. It was basically made up of three different parts: the revealing breastplate with dragon like wings attached to it, the orange gauntlets and the dragon claw shaped greaves. Her hair was also tied into a pair of high, long pigtails.

Naruto flung the kunai towards her and seal-lessly activated one of his favorite jutsu. _'Kunai Kage Bunshin no jutsu.' _Three kunai instantly became three hundred, forcing Erza to concentrate on blocking the swarm of blades.

Naruto turned his attention to Mirajane, who had dark purple energy coating her fists. "Just out of curiousity, what magic does Erza-san use?" He asked in a conversational tone as he sprinted towards Mirajane, his body leaning forwards such that he seemed likely to trip over his feet.

Mirajane stayed her ground as Naruto neared her, saying nothing in response to Naruto's question. When he reached striking distance of her, he tucked into a roll that bypassed her side kick and grabbed her tail. This action earned him an unexpected yet not unwelcome cross between a squeal and a moan. She turned to punch him, only to feel his left foot strike her face and sending her rolling away.

Naruto initiated a substitution jutsu with one of the kunai Erza had deflected and appeared right in front of the upcoming Mage. He stabbed at her, confident of his win, when her red blade met his in a shower of sparks that temporarily blinded her. Naruto pushed forward, proving that Erza's impressive strength was no match for his, and threw a jab that grazed her side.

Erza leaned backwards and kicked upwards, trying to catch him in the jaw. With unnatural speed, Naruto tilted his head to avoid the kick and dropped to the ground whilst simultaneously firing a straight kick to Erza's face that threw her on the floor once more.

"Evil Spark!" The sound of lightning prompted Naruto to coat his feet with wind chakra. Hearing Mirajane's footsteps, Naruto planted the blade in the earth and used it as a support to strike with a double kick to Mirajane's ribs that knocked the wind out of her. He followed up with a 'Katon: Goukayu no Jutsu' that scorched her body and pushed her back a fair distance.

'I should finish it about now…' Streaking towards the staggering Erza, Naruto sunk his knee in her stomach. The blow sent her down for the count, the strength behind it far greater than before. Turning to Mirajane, Naruto tossed the sword at her with unerring speed and accuracy; Mirajane barely saw the flash of light before she was pinned to the nearest tree by it.

"Game, set and match." Naruto said as he strolled over to her to Mirajane's bruised form. Stopping in front of her, Naruto smirked as he pulled the blade out. "I win…Mira-chan." He whispered the last part, sending minute shivers down her spine at his voice.

Everyone watching the match felt like fainting in a heap. Naruto had joined their Guild only yesterday, but had already beaten three rising stars in Fairy Tail? Such strength was mind-boggling for a 13 year old to possess. Natsu and Gray looked at Naruto in envy and admiration; they had wanted to beat both girls someday, and were understandably jealous that the new guy had done so. However, watching the two girls get their 'just desserts', was just as satisfying as the first option.

In his office, Makarov sighed as he watched the conclusion of the fight. _'Enjoy your peace while it lasts, Naruto.' _He thought as he focused his eyes on the folder on his desk. The Magic Council had sent it to him whilst the fight was going on and Makarov knew that Naruto would be more than annoyed with what was written. _'I fear that the Council's attempts to coerce you into joining them will bring about disastrous effects.'_

Unknown to all except Naruto, a small paper construct giggled to itself as it flew out of the Guild Hall.

**A/N: I have no concept of 'restraint', do I? Saying that I'll stop and continue after my exams yet here I am with another chapter…someone slap me. I need it.**

**Anyways, I decided to introduce a concept that I think could be viable in canon Narutoverse: Pseudo Paths. It all has to do with those chakra rods that the bearer of the Rinnegan eventually obtains. I mean, if they are used to animate the dead to serve as Paths, why can't it be used on other corpses? Why stop at only five (six in Nagato's case)? Kishimoto hasn't exactly made it clear regarding that, so I decided to make it something that Rinnegan users simply choose not to do.**

**Laxus will debut in the next chapter; I'm still trying to decide the extent of his feelings towards Mirajane. Should he see her as something to love from a distance? Someone he would want to spend the rest of his life with? An obsession that only he deserves to have? I'm currently leaning towards the last one, but I'd appreciate the advice. To those that guessed that the girl Naruto and Laxus were talking about in the preview was Mirajane, you deserve a cookie. Go buy or make some for yourselves.**

**I also want it to be known that Naruto's Paths are not exactly like previous ones. Unlike Nagato's Paths and Obito's Paths, they aren't limited to just one ability. Given that they are the Paths of the Juubi, it's pretty safe to say that they are more powerful than previous incarnations. As such, I'm making it such that the Human Path excels at its primary skill but can also use the skills of the others. This goes for all of them. They specialize in their primary abilities but can adapt to any situation using the skills of the others.**

**People have requested me to remove Lucy from the harem…sorry, but that isn't gonna happen. I have something in mind for Lucy Heartfelia; speaking of Lucy, what should I do with her Edolas counterpart? I mean, I think it would be awesome if she 'crossed over' to Earthland and fell for Naruto…but the harem might get out of hand. Suggestions?**

**No omake or preview today. Maybe in the next chapter. Highschool DxD Season 2 will begin in July! Fans rejoice! More tits! More Rias and Akeno! Fuck Yeah!**

**Naruto doesn't seem Godlike AT THE MOMENT because he's been in Earthland for only two days, despite all that's happened. In the next chapter, which will feature a timeskip, you'll see the difference in his fighting style; right now, he's playing with his opponents but after the next chapter he'll be kicking ass with style. Erza and Mirajane aren't as strong as their future selves, so it doesn't seem much of a stretch to say that they would lose in a SPAR against Naruto.**

**MaelstromBankai.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Fairy Tail or any other anime/manga that appears in this fanfic I'm working on. Trust me, if I owned them, I wouldn't be written these damn IGCSEs.**

**Chapter 10: S-Class Exams!**

Naruto hummed to himself as he made his way back towards the Guild, cradling an unconscious Erza Scarlet within his arms. He was carrying her bridal style, her head rested against his biceps and supported by his right hand whilst his left arm wrapped themselves securely underneath her legs, allowing them to sway with every move he made. The young redhead was breathing evenly, a bit of drool escaping from her parted lips and running down her jaw line, and was pressed firmly against his body.

Beside him, watching Erza in his arms with an odd expression of amusement, surprise and evilness was Cana, his new friend. The brunette was walking by his left side, content to travel in silence but occasionally letting out a giggle or two. She was amused with the situation; not only did her newest friend beat Natsu, who was an extremely stubborn and relentless fighter, but he also beat the 'Disciplinarian of Fairy Tail'. If that wasn't impressive enough, he beat her alongside the 'Demon' Mirajane. Rather easily too, if she was honest with herself. While she hadn't managed to see everything that occurred in the fight, she had seen enough to realize that Naruto wasn't fighting as hard as he could have. She didn't know why he would choose to do that (boys always loved to show off) but she wasn't about to go poking her nose into other people's businesses.

She was also surprised at how peaceful Erza looked in her sleeping state. Each time she had seen Erza, the girl had an aura that warned others to be on their best behavior. She rarely smiled; sure she smirked a lot, especially on the rare occasions she beat Mirajane, but she never gave a true smile. Ever since she joined Fairy Tail, the only expression Cana had seen on Erza's face were anger, indifference, smugness, disapproval and that slightly teasing glint most girls had at that age. It was a pleasant change from the armored girl, though Cana did ponder why Erza seemed so comfortable in Naruto's arms.

She heard a slight growl reverberate towards her right and hid the smile that wanted to make its appearance by pretending to cough. Walking with them was Mirajane, who was in an understandably bad mood. Not only had she lost against Naruto, but her rival was the one who got to be carried by him. He hadn't even used those eyes of his to beat both of them; he had simply engaged the unknown variable(Erza, or, in Mira's words, the redhead whore) in the equation, gleaned some information from her whilst fending the known variable(Her) before dealing with them like they were little children.

Looking at the redhead once more, Mirajane grimaced. _'The reason we lost was because we didn't take him on as a team…I let Erza do most of the fighting and struck only when an opportunity presented itself. Naruto has a greater knowledge about my skills than hers, so I guess it's only natural that he would attack her first.' _She eyed the blond out of the corner of her eyes as he started a conversation with Cana. _'Still, that bitch should've something a little different…'_ she grumbled.

**Flashback:**

"_Yeah, I'm glad I could help…but we need to get stronger. This mission just showed me how lucky we were against that guy…if something like that happens again, we might not make it out alive." He softly spoke, slowly rubbing circles on Mira's back. It was something he had developed when Setsuna came into his life. "Right now, though, we should enjoy ourselves for surviving. Then, we train until we're strong enough to protect our precious people."_

"_Precious…people?" Mirajane asked, drawing back to look at Naruto in the face._

_Naruto nodded. "It's something a friend taught me before he died." An understanding light appeared in Mirajane's eyes and Naruto continued. "He believed that when a person __has something important they want to protect, that's when they become truly strong."_

_Mirajane immediately thought of her siblings as she took in his words. Other images began to form behind them; Makarov, Cana, Laxus, Macao, Natsu, Wakaba, Gray, even Erza was amongst her list. "Do you have a precious person?"_

"_Once. She died a few years ago." No more was said as they withdrew from their embrace; though Naruto still had his arm around Mirajane's shoulders._

**Flashback End**

The memory that played in her mind was sudden and not entirely welcome. The prospect of lowering herself to ask Erza to work together was mollified by her newfound desire to get stronger to protect her family. After all, years of constant fighting couldn't possibly be stopped after just one spar, no matter how much of an eye-opener it was. Mira bit her lip in frustration. She would have to think upon it later in the day.

Mirajane continued to let her thoughts drift; Elfman would be discharged from the hospital in the afternoon, probably around three o'clock. That meant she had a little over eight hours to go on a quick request, buy a few groceries and whip up Elfman's favorite meal as a special 'welcome home' gift. _'I hope nothing was wrong with him…Lisanna could barely sleep, with all her worrying. Any more bad news and she might lose it.' _A gentle tap derailed her thoughts and she blinked.

She found herself standing in front of the Guild, Naruto looking at her with amusement dancing in his crimson eyes. "Jewel for your thoughts?"

She shook her head, her mind still going over what she could do to surprise her little brother. "It's nothing, really. Elfman is getting discharged and I want to throw him a surprise party, or something along those lines."

Naruto perked up at the news. "That's great; I wanted to ask him something so do you mind if I tag along?"

Cana, having heard enough of the conversation to find her interest peaked, joined the conversation. "What exactly are you two talking about?" She asked as she held open the door for Naruto to enter. Muttering a quick thanks, the blond slipped past with his unconscious passenger and began heading towards the Guild infirmary.

"I'll tell you later, Cana. I've gotta make sure Benihime-chan gets a good rest." He called out, navigating his way through the crowd that had gathered at his appearance. He hardly paid attention to their words, opting to run through what he was going to train the Strauss siblings in.

During his walk, he had been going over what he had seen of Mirajane's skills and came to the conclusion that she and her siblings had the same problem he had years ago: they didn't have any official instruction in combat. Elfman fought with nothing but brute strength and good reflexes; he never made a plan of attack, just charged in with fists flying and hoping everything worked out. Naruto frowned as solutions began whispering in his mind. _'Goken might work for him; he doesn't have the flexibility needed to take up the Jyuuken or the other shinobi taijutsu styles and his strength would make it really effective on his opponents. I'll have to build up his speed as well, can't have his be all strength. Meditation and mental exercises are a must if he wants to master the Full-Body Take Over.'_

He managed to make his way across the Guild Hall before he stopped and hung his head. "Great job idiot, volunteer to drop someone at the infirmary when you have no idea where it is." Quickly making a clone and sending it to Makarov for the information, Naruto continued his pondering whilst stroking Erza's red locks. He had settled into a squat, laying Erza's legs on the floor and her head in the crook of his left arm. _'Lisanna is currently the weak link of those three. Since she's a support Mage, she would be the first to be picked off. I'll have to watch her in action to determine her overall strength but the best thing to do would be to teach her as much as I can about healing. I doubt she'll be able to reverse-engineer medical jutsu, but she'll have to be able to help them with more than just first-aid. Now, how do I make her a medical badass?'_

The answer soon came to him and Naruto was actually surprised at what his mind was offering to him. _'I'll need to make more comparisons between chakra and magic to be sure, but I think that would be the best way to make her strong quickly. After the base has been set, I can increase her speed and strength phenomenally in half a year.'_ A stray thought brought about a twitch of his lips. _'Natsu would have to watch himself around Lisanna when I'm through with her.'_

Within his arms, Erza shifted slightly as she became more aware of herself. She tried to open her eyes, but the effort was immense and she was forced to abandon her attempts in no time at all. Still a bit dazed, she opted to snuggle closer to the warmth she felt carrying her. The innate strength of the hand that supported her back suggested that she was being carried by a male and the scent that she inhaled smelled faintly of nature. Curiousity engulfing her, Erza lifted her heavy eye-lids to see a large blurry shape. Blinking several times to clear her vision, Erza found herself gazing into the eyes of Naruto and froze. The strange sensation originating from her head was Naruto's fingers as he caressed her hair almost lovingly.

"Awake already, Erza?" He questioned as he stood up from his squatting and headed towards the infirmary, thankful for the wonders of Kage Bunshin. He was slightly amused at how quickly the girl's face went from pale to a furious red, easily matching the shade of her hair in under two seconds. "Just relax and I'll explain when we get to the infirmary."

She wordlessly nodded, not trusting herself to speak, and allowed herself to be carried away by the blond.

**-Fairy Tail Guild Hall-**

Cana watched Naruto leave with Erza in tow, silently amused at the situation. _'He hasn't been here for a week and he's already making a name for himself in the Guild.' _However, as she thought about his rapid achievements, she felt herself frown whilst thoughts began whispering. _'If he continues at this rate, he'll become an S-Class mage before I do. If that happens, my own chances of achieving S-Class will be much smaller.'_ Her heart clenched at that. _'With monsters like Laxus and Naruto in the picture…'_

A huff from her nearby companion snapped Cana out of her thoughts. Mirajane had her arms crossed and watched Naruto's form disappear with narrowed eyes. "Stupid lucky bitch." She muttered, though Cana could make out what had been said.

An impish grin slithered unto Cana's face and she looped an arm around the sullen mage, startling Mirajane. She leered at Mira's annoyed and nervous expression. "So, Mira…why so interested in Naruto-san? I thought Laxus was your boy-toy."

Mirajane extracted herself from Cana's grip but didn't stomp off. "First of all, Laxus is a friend only. I have no idea why you people think we're a couple." She wrinkled her nose in distaste. Sure Laxus had his good points, but he was way to clingy for Mira's tastes and he constantly went out of his way to get requests that included her. "Naruto-kun is a nice guy who I would enjoy spending time with. He's also the first newbie to beat Red and I, something that I believe no one expected. Plus he's hot! Have you felt that hardcore bod of his?" Mirajane licked her lips.

Cana sweat-dropped at the girl's character. She had truly never met someone as eccentric as Mirajane; the girl could be calm and quiet one minute, raging demon the next and so foul-mouthed that Cana believed she was born screaming obscenities. "Well, only you would be weird enough to grope someone within the first few minutes of meeting them."

Mira nodded, paying no mind to the weird comment. "You should try it sometime, maybe then you'll find someone good enough for you. On another note, do you know where Laxus is at the moment? I haven't seen that bastard for two weeks and he owes me bet money."

"Mira-nee?" Both girls turned to see Lisanna standing a ways behind them with her hands on her hips and a stern expression on her face. Beside her were Natsu and Gray, the latter looking bored and the former feeding Happy fish. "Aren't you supposed to be getting ready for the surprise? We only have a few hours to prepare, you know."

Cana, Gray and Natsu grew interested at the surprise bit while Mirajane tapped her head in consternation. "Damn, thanks for reminding me Lisanna. Do you mind telling Naruto-kun that I have to get going? He wanted to speak to Elfman, so you can let him know when he'll be discharged. Bye!" With that said, she took off out of the Guild with great speed, ignoring those that she pushed and knocked aside.

**-Infirmary, Fairy Tail-**

Naruto sat on a nearby stool watching over Erza as she recovered. He had just recounted the events of the battle to her and was currently waiting for the redhead to digest all that he had said. It wasn't long for the redhead to sigh. "So I lost, huh? I shouldn't have undermined your strength."

Naruto stood from his seat and strolled over to Erza, who lay on one of the infirmary beds. "To be honest with you, you really do deserve the reputation you have. I've heard about Requip Magic and how difficult it is to requip various different objects; not only can you requip complete sets of armor, the speed at which you do makes it deadly and versatile in combat." He paused to take a breath and forged on. "However, you do have some glaring weaknesses. First of all, you leave yourself exposed each time you prepare to requip as well as just after you requip. Not many people are fast enough to capitalize on that, but it's still a weakness. Secondly, your focus is too narrowed to swordsmanship which makes you susceptible to experienced hand-to-hand combatants. I believe you already realize that, don't you?"

Erza grimaced at the memory of that beating. "Yes. What would you propose that I do?" It was weird, in Erza's opinion, that she was asking someone who just joined the Guild on how to improve herself when she would have normally just practiced on training dummies or sparred with Mirajane to help fix her mistakes.

Naruto tapped his chin. "Do you mind if I sit beside you?" She shuffled away mutely, providing some space for him to sit on. Slumping down on the comfortable bed, Naruto resumed his train of thought. "What I would suggest would be to ask the best hand-to hand mage in the Guild to teach you a few things and spar every now and then. You could stick to your swords, but incorporate whatever you learn into your fighting style to keep your skills well rounded."

Erza blinked several times, running his advice through her head. "How do you know so much about fighting when you're only…" She trailed off as she realized that she had no clue how old Naruto was. "Pardon my manners, but how old exactly are you?"

Naruto didn't bat an eye at her curiousity. "I'm thirteen, about the same age as Mira-chan if I should hazard a guess. My Godfather raised me to be the best in combat, be it close quarters combat, mid-ranged, long-ranged or magical. He was very demanding and kept pushing me to my limits, making sure I understood everything that I needed to know about fighting." _'Lying on the spot is so troublesome. I'll have to contact Jiraiya and create a cover story for when he returns.'_

Erza nodded, accepting his story. "So you beat Mira and I because you were stronger and more experienced that us?"

"Yes and no. Whilst my skills were indeed above yours in terms of control and power, your lack of teamwork was what truly caused your downfall."

Erza started at that. The idea of working together hadn't even crossed her mind at that point, all she had wanted to do was fight him and see how she fared against him. "Team…work?"

Naruto nodded. "Why do you think I kept switching from you to Mira-chan and back each time either of you came near? I wanted to keep you separated from each other, making it easier to defeat both of you. If the two of you had concentrated on fighting me as a team, with you keeping me occupied with long-ranged attacks and Mira-chan coming in close to finish me of, the outcome of our spar would have been different."

Erza pouted cutely. "Mirajane would rather eat dung than work together with me."

Naruto quirked a brow. "If you don't mind me asking, just why are you and Mira-chan so competitive? Sure, you two are rivals so some trash talk is expected but you two go at it all the time and its pretty intense to watch." If anything, their rivalry seemed like a downgraded version of Madara and Hashirama's in terms of destruction and a watered down version of his and Sasuke's in regards to intensity.

Erza shrugged vaguely and averted her gaze from him. "It's just something that we've been doing for as long as we've known each other. There isn't a particular reason for it; Mirajane keeps challenging me and I continuously accept." For some reason, opening up to Naruto was very easy for her to do. He just had this aura which beckoned you to trust in him.

"I see." Naruto stood up, turning to Erza with an eye-smile. "Sorry to leave you by yourself, but I have some things that require my attention. Hope to see you up and about soon, Benihime-chan." He walked towards the door and opened it but didn't leave just yet. "Hiding your heart behind that armor isn't the best of solutions," he stated, still facing away from her. "Acknowledging the darkness within ourselves is necessary for personal growth; keeping it all bottled within is detrimental to you and your family."

He turned to face her shocked visage with a gentle look. "You may have fooled the others, but you can't fool someone who has been wearing a mask for all his life. You want to be strong so that you never get hurt again, be it physical or emotional. That armor of yours gives you strength, but you're only showing off your crutch. Accept your negative aspects and your heart will begin its journey of healing." He gave her another eye-smile. "As a Guildmate and a friend, I offer my help and support in your personal growth. Good day." With an inclination of his head, he walked off.

Erza just sat there, staring at the space Naruto's form had occupied, a whirlwind of emotions robbing her of any movement. She run his words through her head once again, remembering the heartfelt look in his eyes. Her face heated up slightly as she recalled his new nickname for her. _'Benihime-chan…friend…'_

**-Time skip: Six hours later-**

"Hey Elfman! Where the heck have you been?" Macao called out as the Strauss family arrived with Elfman from the Mage Hospital. Elfman didn't look any different, barring the bandages that could be seen covering his chest.

Elfman gave a shaky laugh in response, rubbing the back of his head. "Sorry, but I was indisposed. Mira-nee and Lisanna just picked me up from the hospital."

Macao just waved his apology off. "Glad to hear you're okay. Naruto's been waiting for you, said something about training."

Elfman paused and swept his gaze over the Hall, looking for the blond. Soon enough, he found Naruto sitting towards the center with Cana in serious conversation. Turning to Macao and Lisanna, he waved before taking off.

Mirajane had gone on a job request some time ago after they had celebrated with a special lunch, so she wouldn't be back for a while. Lisanna just went off in search of Natsu and Happy to play with.

Naruto looked up from his drink to see Elfman ambling towards him. He sighed and rose to meet him, bidding Cana goodbye. He approached his new friend and inclined his head slightly. "Yo. You feeling better?"

"Yeah…" Elfman's throat dried up as the seconds passed and he resisted the urge to swallow. "So," he began, steadfastly looking at Naruto. "You said you wanted to speak to me?"

A nod was his answer. "I want to help you deal with that problem of yours. At the moment, anyone who takes a request with you will be at risk of fighting for their lives should that beast take control of your body."

Elfman felt the words stab into him and grimaced. He knew what Naruto meant; had he not been there at the time…Mirajane would've been hurt. Badly. Knowing that inflamed his guilt and determination; he would not be a harm to his family. "I accept."

Naruto blinked. "You didn't hear me out."

"There's no need to. Without you, Mira-nee would've been in the hospital right now and I would be nothing but a prisoner in my own body." Elfman shivered as he recalled the sheer might of the beasts' will. It was like a raging tidal wave that broke through everything in its path, smashing through his mental defenses like they were nonexistent.

It scared him.

If Naruto could help him prevent the beast from taking over, he would do whatever it took. He had his family to protect. "I don't care if it is difficult. I don't care if it's a danger to me. Please," his knees bent in permission. "Help me become strong."

Naruto arched a brow.

They had a lot of work to do.

**-Time skip: Six months-**

Naruto entered the Guild with Setsuna in tow, his arm wrapped around her shoulders once again. Half a year had passed since Naruto offered Elfman a chance to master his magic and Naruto couldn't be more proud of his friend. His progression was of average speed, but that didn't mean anything to Naruto. People developed at different rates because they were all unique; Elfman was the kind of person who learned through repeated exercises with increasing difficulty. He wasn't brilliant per say, but he was smart in using what he learned and what was available to him to his advantage.

However, if Naruto had to be honest with himself, Elfman's weaknesses were still prominent. Having grown up with a rowdy bunch in Fairy Tail, he was impatient, prone to bouts of idiocy and rarely accepted aid from anyone. No matter how many times Naruto stressed the importance of teamwork, Elfman remained stubborn and refused to do so.

Oh well. He didn't know that Naruto had him beat in stubbornness; it would be a wake-up call for him when Naruto used more drastic means.

Anyway, besides training Elfman, Naruto and Setsuna had been making names for themselves, though the former did so unwillingly. Various clients that had their job requests taken by Naruto sung praises of his fighting skills as well as the fact that he did not destroy anything else like the other Fairy Tail mages. The women had also come to know him for his 'magical hands'; several masseuse requests arrived in Fairy Tail requesting the blond specifically after his first client, a wealthy woman of great political influence, made mention of him during one of her social gatherings.

From that day on, the older males looked up to him as though he was their God.

Setsuna was also praised for her strength and had been crowned the 'Lightning Queen' due to her beyond Kage control over her primary element. Unlike Naruto, she was very picky in her job requests and treated her clients with nothing more than cold politeness, earning her the nickname 'Demon King's Raven'.

Her friendship with Cana had grown stronger throughout the period as well. She was incapable of connecting with Gray and Natsu, seeing them as too annoying to be more than just Guild mates. Of course, there was also the fact that she could kick their asses several shades to the wind with one arm only. Her relationship with Erza had progressed to friendship, providing the redhead with a training partner who would help her progress at a much faster rate than before. Mirajane, on the other hand, had declared Setsuna her eternal rival after she witnessed Erza's defeat at Setsuna's hands during one of their spars.

Setsuna thought it was cute of Mirajane to think she was strong enough to call herself Setsuna's rival.

"Good morning Naruto. You look great, as usual." Cana grumbled. The brunette had grown an extra inch in height and puberty had started producing signs of its progress, resulting in an increase of male attention. At the moment, she was slumped on the table with frazzled hair and eyes lined with dark circles that blatantly suggested her current state of mind. "Seriously, how do you look so refreshed every damn time? Even your hair looks better than mine on my best morning."

Disengaging himself from Setsuna, who pouted demurely at the loss of contact, Naruto sat down with a bored look. "To be honest, I don't really know how my hair looks so well-kept; I guess it's just naturally awesome." Amusement flickered in his eyes as Cana gave his hair a glare, as though blaming it for her current state. "Also, I wake up early to make a few jogs around Magnolia to get my blood pumping. You should try it sometime."

Cana just shriveled further. "Do I look like I have your crazy stamina? I don't even have the energy to get out of bed in the mornings, let alone go jogging." She groaned.

Setsuna sat down as well, entering the conversation at last. "Will you be going on a job request later today?"

"Naruto! Fight me!" A voice roared out. Naruto sighed in exasperation as Natsu's flame coated fists neared his face with average speed. _'You'd think he would have learned by now…'_ Nonchalantly tilting his head to avoid Natsu's punch, his right arm stretched out and grabbed the falling boy by his hair. With a not so gently flick of his wrist, Naruto sent poor Natsu flying into the wall on the second floor. The sound of flesh hitting stone brought some satisfaction to him.

Cana lifted her head and gave her a look. "No, I'm not really up for a request today. Besides," her face twisted into an odd expression, "Gildarts will be coming today."

Naruto raised a brow. _'Gildarts, the Ace of Fairy Tail, eh? Must be time for the S-Class trials.' _Sneaking around in Makarov's office was something that he rarely did, but he was glad he had taken that chance. The S-Class Mage Promotion Trial was something that he found himself interested in. At the moment, he was well financed thanks to the Everlue fortune and letting his name grow in Fiore would be beneficial towards him. Not only would it deter other Guild from picking a fight with Fairy Tail, but it would also bait Naraku into coming after him. Also, he would get to fight the mysterious Gildarts Clive and finally get to see what made him so special.

"Listen up, you no-good brats!" All activities ceased as Makarov's voice was heard over the noise. The diminutive old man was standing on the stair railing of the second floor, radiating an aura of seriousness and excitement. "I'm sure most of you are aware of what this announcement is about. For the new ones, it's time for an event that marks the advancement of rank for the truly exceptional: The S-Class Exams!"

A mighty cheer reverberated in the hall, each member showing eagerness and excitement on their faces. "As you are aware, S-Class Mage Promotion Trials are an annual tradition which we partake in to give any Mage the chance to become an S-Class elite. This year, we have three trials and a battle royal; each of these trials will test you on the following qualities: leadership, intelligence and battle prowess. These trials will evaluate where you stand in regards to the mentioned traits whilst the battle royal gives Mages with lower marks an opportunity to strut their stuff and wow the judges with their skills."

Natsu let out a cheer, sparking another round of applause. "The trials start at the end of the month; those interested should come sign their names in my office." Seeing the younger ones turning to dash towards his office, Makarov called out once more. "Oh, I just remembered! Those under the age of thirteen will not be permitted! That especially goes to you, Natsu!"

"Whaaat?!"

"How come Naruto and the girls get to have all the fun?!"

"Real men need to shine too!"

"SILENCE!" Makarov's head grew to demonic proportions as he loomed over the terrified boys, a terrible aura surrounding him. "WHEN I SAY SOMETHING, YOU'D BETTER LISTEN! GOT IT?!"

"H-hai!"

Cana sighed heavily as the noise continued. Why was life so damn troublesome?

Naruto crossed his arms over his chest. It was almost time; soon, his true skills would be displayed. The council wanted a taste of his power? He would show it to them.

He would show them all just how dangerous he could be.

**-Tenrou Island-**

A sleeping figure twitched in his sleep, a frown creasing his face. "Uzumaki…Naruto…" The figure mumbled in his sleep, a black aura beginning to seep out from his slumbering body. "Friend…"

**A/N: FREEDOM HAS NEVER TASTED SO SWEET! I'm done with IGCSEs! Can someone give me a shout-out or what?!**

**Now, I know I was going to wrap this up soon and head over to the start of canon, but I wanna flesh out Naruto's S-Class trials a bit…well, a lot but that's not the point. They always seem to have Naruto becoming an S-Class by fighting Gildarts. Now, while I like it and plan on doing so as well, I believe that it takes more than that for a mage to become S-Class. If the mage is not qualified to lead a group, why should they be able to accompany other mages on S-Class quests? Also, S-Class means they are the elite; in my opinion, that means you have to be smart as well as strong. Intelligence, analytic skills and strategies should factor into the evaluations. Hopefully, you guys will love it.**

**Laxus hasn't made his debut yet, so Mira will get to be closer to Naruto than he would like by the time he gets back. Next chapter will have the debut of Laxus, the Thunder Legion, the Magic Council, Siegrain (Jellal) and Ultear. The battles I'm planning are gonna be awesome!**

**I'll be updating all my other stories before I consider bringing in my Naruto/Bleach new story. Next on the list will be Primordial Transcendent.**

**Naruto 631: When I heard Sasuke's new goal, I honestly expected a 'believe it' to appear. I don't really know why. (o.O) My thoughts about it? WTF!? Multiplied several times. Naruto saying that Sakura is his girlfriend without a second thought towards Hinata's feelings? Sakura being compared to the sexy and awesome Uzumaki Kushina? Kishimoto might as well hand Naruto over to some of the more creative and awesome fanfiction authors on the site.**

**MaelstromBankai. **


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Fairy Tail and any other manga/anime that appears in this fanfic. If I did, there would be more kick-ass Kunoichi throughout the Naruto story.**

**Chapter 11: A Storm Approaches…**

"Oryaaahh!"

Naruto avoided Elfman's straight punch, throwing himself backwards against the ground. The huge black furred arm of his 'student' sailed through the empty space he had been previously occupying with much greater speed than Elfman used to display, an indication of his growth under Naruto's tutelage.

"Not bad," he spoke. Slapping his hands to the ground, Naruto stopped his fall and struck with a vicious reverse cartwheel kick right on Elfman's chin. Elfman's momentum was broken, leaving him disoriented and suspended in midair; one of the worst possible positions to be in when facing someone of Naruto's caliber. "But not good enough!" A second kick slammed into Elfman's gut and propelled him away a good three meters, spittle and blood droplets forced out of his mouth and in the air.

With a crash, the disciple barreled into the vegetation that surrounded their training grounds, leaving skid marks that tore at his clothing. Gritting his teeth, Elfman focused and managed to half-hop, half-backflip unto his feet with the help of a 'Beast Leg: Black Bull' spell. "I'm not done yet, Naruto-sensei!" He roared.

Naruto hopped unto his feet as well, readying himself for the next wave. "Show me then! Come on, lets see your fruits of training!"

Wasting no time at all, Elfman clasped his hands together in the Monkey seal and concentrated. The seal helped him in his meditation and when he gathered magic energy for his spells but, overall, was unnecessary. Whilst it did help him focus better, it didn't mean that he couldn't do so without it; deception gave people edges in fights and he refused to make all of his skills known to his enemies. "Take-Over Ultimate Technique: Partial Beast God!"

A large magic circle burst into existence in front of him, rolling off yellow tinted energy in waves that, had Makarov been there, would have shocked the Guild Master. Anyone sensitive to the energy levels being released would be flabbergasted if they compared it to Elfman's previous magic capacity. It wasn't just 'a bit bigger'; it was almost like he was a completely different person! His new magic levels had swelled beyond what even he had expected; at the moment, his capacity rivaled that of his eldest sister in her Take-Over form, something that very few people could boast of within the Guild.

"Rrrrraaaaarrrgghh!" As Elfman's shout grew deeper and more bestial, his body was also undergoing several changes. His upper torso was expanding rapidly, growing bulkier as the transformation continued. His legs were steadily bulking up, taking on the appearance of a feline. Judging by the large paws that were forming in place of his feet, it seemed like those of big cats. His spiky hair thickened and surge outwards, forming a mane around his head. His skin tone lightened substantially and red fur began to grow to cover his torso.

Within a half-minute, the transformation was complete. Elfman stood at his original height, albeit a few inches taller than before, and his new form revealed in the aftermath. Its body structure was that of the beast Elfman had gotten from their disastrous first job request but there were a few stark differences. For one, his feet were made from that of his Weretiger; that is, they retained their feline look. His body was almost completely covered up in scales, a feature of his recently successful Lizardman Take-Over, whilst his arms were composed of stone. His eyes glowed in the dust clouds. All in all, he cut quite the imposing figure.

Naruto sighed, his hair fluttering in the breeze. _'He still needs to work on the speed of his transformation…sixteen seconds might be acceptable in Earthland, but there is always the possibility of meeting someone with serious speed.' _"Not bad Elfman! That is, if I was a tortoise!" He called out haughtily, testing Elfman's anger. A low growl rumbled from the transformed mage, earning a hidden smirk from Naruto. "Now that you're done, let's see your hand-to-hand skills." He relaxed his stance and reached into his weapon pouch, nostalgia growing stronger as his fingers brushed against the pages of a book.

He paused briefly before pulling it out, revealing it to be the latest edition of his Bingo Book collection. It was something he had started compiling about half a year before he left the Elemental Nations; with so many memories of several different Shinobi in his head, he tended to forget a number of jutsu. To prevent this, he collected Bingo Books to gain more insight on those that constituted his body as well as review the jutsu he couldn't recall.

Elfman, who had been charging towards his sensei, skidded to a stop as he saw Naruto engrossed in a book with himself wide open. Without another thought, he leaped towards him and cocked his left arm back for an elbow slam. Whereas before he would have tried to rouse Naruto back to taking him seriously, he now learned to take any advantage given to him by his opponents. It wasn't the most honorable thing to do, but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do to win (according to Naruto).

Of course, it would be unrealistic for Elfman to assume that Naruto was done for. After the first three months, Elfman had come to the realization that Naruto was never caught off guard in combat; all the times he had sparred with the blond, the only times he landed an attack was when Naruto _let_ him do it. It was still hard for Elfman to see just how Naruto kept his composure and always manage to block, parry or counter each move he dished out.

As expected, Naruto's right hand, the one which was not holding the book, grabbed the incoming limb with the swiftness of a cobra. Due to Elfman's new bulky figure, he was only capable of throwing his left leg towards Naruto in the hopes of at least nicking him.

No such luck.

This time, Naruto's right leg was lifted and blocked the larger feline leg. With his hand still clasped around Elfman's elbow, he attacked._ 'Raiton no Yoroi (Lightning Release Armor).'_ Blue lightning surged through his body, filling him with more strength and power than he usually had. The lightning streaked from his fingers through Elfman, zapping him with more than enough volts to send him spasming violently.

A finger flick to his chest ended the young Straus' pain, though it sent him careening towards the opposite end of the training area. As Naruto turned the page of his book, he mentally reviewed Elfman's improvements. _'He's gotten at least twice as fast as he was before, something that will greatly benefit his agility if he keeps practicing.' _A roar reached his ears and he continuously sidestepped to avoid the barrage of Elfman's fists. _'As expected, since he focused most on the force of his punches, his brute strength has increased and is quickly approaching the 'superhuman' level.' _He ducked underneath a clawed hand and nonchalantly struck Elfman in the face. _'Pain tolerance is his most defining aspect; he can take damage on the level of an experienced Chunin, possibly that of a Jonin should he put his mind to it. Overall, he's coming along nicely as a close combat fighter. However…'_

Like a switch being flipped, Elfman transformed back to his base form in a shower of light, signifying the end of his spell. He sank to the floor, taking deep pants to relieve his exhaustion. "Haah…haah…that was…much better…than the first few times…" he grounded out, pulling himself to a sitting position.

Naruto nodded in agreement as he flipped the pages once again. "Yes, your new spell has become much smoother than the first few times you tried it. Are you feeling any effects from it?"

Elfman shook his head. "No, I'm feeling alright; there aren't any pains like the last time." Deep within, Elfman was ecstatic with the progress of his new spell. As its name suggested, it was a fusion of all the monsters that he had used his magic on, a perfect blend of human intelligence, animal grace and demonic strength.

"That's good to hear." Snapping his book shut, Naruto crossed his arms and turned to face his student with a frown. "However, there are some weaknesses that need to be addressed. First of all, the duration which you can maintain the spell is only ten minutes, something we need to work on improving. As a spell that affects your body, the best thing to do would be to increase your stamina and understanding of the spell to fight longer battles as well as reduce the amount of magic energy you use whilst in that form."

Elfman retrieved a notebook from somewhere in his clothes, which remarkably remained intact throughout the ordeal, and began to jot down the points Naruto had raised. "Yes, please go on."

"Secondly, the beasts you selected for the spell contradict with each other; for example, 'The Beast' is all about brute force whilst your Weretiger is more designed for speed. Your form, whilst ideally feasible, is just not applicable in battle against nimble opponents. Fortunately for you, I have a solution…which I'll tell you tomorrow." The groan he heard made him chuckle softly.

"Oh _come on_! The S-Class trials start tomorrow; you'll be super busy once it starts! Real men take any opportunity given to them!"

"Ara, ara. Someone seems lively today. Next item of the day: a review of your dodging skills." He eye-smiled. _'Baa-chan, I've never been more glad to find out your inner sadistic side…Elfman and Lisanna will surely benefit from this, though I'm sure they'll be damning me to hell through it. Oh well.'_

That day, Elfman gained a healthy respect for all types of sport balls…the damage they could do in the hands of a skilled fighter was nothing to sniff at.

**-Time skip: Uzumaki Residence-**

Setsuna hummed a tuneless song to herself as she stirred the cooking pot. Tonight, she was making dinner for them both, something that she had reluctantly conceded to Naruto. Instead of her attending to all the house chores, as she had wanted since she was his servant, Naruto had drawn up a schedule that split them between the both of them, with rotating shifts as well. They had discussed it for a period of time, with Naruto convincing her that just because she was his servant didn't mean he was going to dump all his responsibilities on her.

Eventually accepting the proposal, Setsuna had settled into their current routine fairly well. Setting the heat to a simmer, she perked up at the sound of the doors opening. Anticipation bubbled within her, a light blush settling on her face. Would he like her surprise? Kurame had insisted he would be all over her if she did it, but she was so nervous! It was so out of character for her that she had briefly considered abandoning her plan but her desire, for once, had spurned her forwards. "I'm home!"

She patted her cheeks, getting some control over herself. "Welcome home!" Now was the moment of truth! Kaa-san had showed her how to get his attention and she was going to go through with it! In her seal, Kurame settled into one of the chairs in the room she was in and grabbed some popcorn to prepare for the upcoming show. Lying by her side was also a dildo, which she had crafted in the likeness of her future mate's organ, just in case things got a little hot and heavy and she ended up getting horny. _**"You can do it, Setsuna-chan! Show those mage hussies that you are Alpha female!"**_

Naruto ambled into the kitchen, about to ask what Setsuna was making for dinner, only to stop and stare at the Uchiha. Or rather, her choice of clothing; a simple apron, which did nothing to hide her womanly figure. On the contrary, they seemed to enhance them; it didn't help that it was in the evening, when males are more sexually active than in the day. "Ano…what message are you trying to send?" He questioned, slowly nearing his friend.

She almost turned cherry-red as Kurame began feeding her more lines to say. "Naruto-sama…please grant this Uchiha's wish." Leaning against the table, she lifted her left leg and laid it on the surface, making it pretty clear what she wanted him to do to her. She arched her back, enhancing her bust, which was straining against the apron and looked like it would burst out soon. "Please take my virginity once again…" She finished with that damnable seductive look she had mastered from her Bijuu, a look that very few people could completely resist.

Stopping right before her, Naruto wondered why she was being so bold today. She wasn't going through her period, otherwise he would have caught the scent of blood, and she was immune to possession, one of the many perks of having Kurame sealed in her. "Setsuna," he began to trace patterns on her thighs, stimulating her with his clawed digits. "Is something bothering you? You know you can always tell me what bothers you."

Her breath hitched when he run his fingers dangerously close to her inner thigh. "I…" she faltered when he knelt down and removed his mask. His tongue stretched out and made contact with her smooth skin, making her jerk in surprise. _'Oh, Kami-sama!'_ She swallowed and shuddered again as his tongue trailed a path over her lower body, his cool muscle sending tingles through her hot body.

"I…I want Naruto-sama," she gasped out whiles steadying herself with her arms, the heat within her pooling at her loins and chest. "Ooohhh!" She moaned breathily as his hands joined in his ministrations, palming her firm and sexy ass. Unknown to most people, Kurame had a sensitive behind and that trait had passed down to Setsuna due to the circumstances of her sealing. "Na-Naruto-sama…"

"I see. What a cruel master I have been, to not see your distress. Allow this cruel master to relieve you of your stress…" Lifting the front of the apron, Naruto could see the dampness of Setsuna's virgin white panties. Deciding to tease her a bit more, he placed several kisses along her loins yet not on her womanhood, which made her all the more wanton with lust. She tried bucking her hips, desperate for Naruto to dive into her core, but a sudden growl from her lover stopped her.

Whimpers broke from her as she forced herself to stay still whilst Naruto lavished attention on her body. A gasp flew from her mouth, unbidden, as Naruto grabbed her underwear with his teeth and slowly pulled them off. In doing so, he saw Setsuna's smoothly shaven crotch and languidly began to pump his fingers into her pussy. Spitting her underwear out of his mouth, he rose from his position and shifted the apron top aside to reveal her large breasts, which bobbed with every jerk she made.

Despite being large, possibly the largest of their generation in the Guild if Naruto had to estimate, they did not sag; they stood, perky and unaffected by gravity like proud mountains. Her nipples were inverted as well, inviting Naruto's mouth to feast upon them.

Lunging towards her breasts, he greedily sucked on her left boob whilst his left hand grabbed her right one. His tongue rolled over her mound, coaxing her nipple out with ease. He was getting aroused by this but held himself back for a little longer; Setsuna's pleasure came first. For the next twenty minutes, Naruto worked Setsuna's body to the brink of orgasming, slowly granting her little climaxes that only served to stoke her craving for the real thing. "Naruto-sama…please! Fill me with your cock! I can't take this much longer!"

With the explicit announcement, Naruto pulled down his pants to reveal his tool. At the age of thirteen, going on fourteen in the next two weeks, he was at a respectable length of 4 and a half inches. He rubbed his cock at the entrance of her pussy, growing stiffer with arousal. "Where do you want it?" He growled, his lust deepening his voice.

"Both of them! Make me yours once more!" She cried out, tears glistening in her eyes as he continued rubbing against her. She was so close! She _needed_ him in her!

"As you wish, my Black Raven." Positioning himself, he ensnared her lips with his own and thrust into her, breaking through her hymen in one shot. He could feel her stiffen momentarily in pain, a few tears running down her face as she dealt with it. He stayed as still as possible, giving her the time she needed to adjust herself to the sensation. His hands weren't idle; they rubbed her breasts, giving her as much pleasure as he could to stave her mind off the pain.

After a minute, Setsuna wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him in deeper. Taking it as his cue to continue, Naruto fully laid himself on her, the sensation of her hardened nipples running across his clothed chest driving him crazy. He withdrew half of his length out and thrust it back in, taking some pride in the moans Setsuna made. And why shouldn't he? He was the only one she would consider as a mate, and he was the only one who had ever been intimate with her. All her previous masters had lacked something that drew her in, that made her feel as special as Naruto did.

His thrusting continued, growing faster and harder with each passing minute. "Fuck! You're so tight!" He moaned as he pounded her with more intensity.

Setsuna whimpered more and more as she felt the climax she sought approaching. "Naruto-sama! I'm going to cum!"

He grunted, his thrusts growing more erratic as he also neared his climax. "Fuck, me too!"

Setsuna came first, her body arching as she let out a soundless scream of pleasure, her biggest (and first, if you wanna get technical about it) orgasm blowing her mind away. Her pussy contracted around Naruto's cock, trying to milk his cum into her womb.

Naruto was able to continue for another five minutes before he also climaxed, his cum pouring into Setsuna I great spurts. They remained in their position for a while longer, basking in the afterglow of lovemaking, when Setsuna remembered her dish. Tired from their fuck session yet determined to check on the food status, she lifted her head and peered into the pot.

She breathed a relieved sigh as she saw that the stew hadn't been ruined; it was possibly overcooked, but nowhere near ruined. She squeaked as she felt Naruto's member twitch and pull out, only to begin rubbing at her back entrance. Turning to face him, his smile and smoldering eyes made her pull him in even more with her legs, the heat within her beginning to grow once more. "Ready for round two, Setsuna?"

In the end, they didn't have any dinner. Did they mind? Not one bit.

**-The Next Day, Fairy Tail-**

Mirajane raised a brow at her new rival. Setsuna seemed to glow in the room and she had a satisfied air about her that made her curious. After observing her for a few more minutes, she shook her head and looked back at the Master, who was standing on the second floor and looking towards the members. "Alright, you brats! Those who were chosen to enter the S-Class trials will be announced! For those that didn't make it, I encourage you to use it as a drive to do better next year!"

Coughing to get their attention, Makarov removed a slip of parchment from his sleeves and opened it. "The contestants are as follows: Erza Scarlet!" The crowd let out a huge cheer as the armored mage stepped forward, determination shining from her eyes. She marched up towards the second floor, joining Makarov at his position. When she met Mirajane's eye, she let a smug expression appear on her face.

"Mirajane Strauss!" As quick as it came, the smug look was wiped off and replaced with an irritated one whilst Mirajane just sauntered towards the second floor. As she reached the stairs, she turned to look back towards Setsuna. "See you at the top, Setsuna." She grinned before heading towards her fellow contestant.

"Laxus Dreyar!" Many people fell silent in shock; Laxus was here? The crowd turned about, searching for the 'prodigal son' when a disembodied voice was heard.

"What's the matter? You guys all look like you didn't expect me to advance in rank." A bolt of lightning blasted through the Guild, landing on the second floor with quickness that caught Setsuna's eye. When the bolt dissipated, Laxus was revealed. He was a very tall and muscular teen with blue-grey eyes. His hair was slicked back, its numerous spiky strands pointing backwards, though some of it fell down on his forehead. He had a distinctive lightning bolt-shaped scar on his right eye, and much like his grandfather, sported dark lines circling his eyes, with each of them possessing a single, prominent eyelash jutting outwards. He donned an orange tunic with spots reminiscent of a leopard's on the shoulders and sides, with dark-lined sleeves reaching down below his elbows, and fur on the lower edges. He sported a bright red cape, tied on the front with a garish knot, which bore a large, lighter Fairy Tail symbol on the back, and loose, baggy dark pants tucked inside light metal greaves. Around his waist was a simple belt to which he attached the device linked to his **Magic Headphones**. He also had a small chain tied around his right wrist.

Naruto watched him wrap an arm around Mirajane with self-satisfied smile and narrowed his eyes. Mirajane was upset, that was as plain as day but Laxus wasn't paying attention to that.

"Setsuna Uchiha!" More cheering was made as the Uchiha heiress climbed up the stairs, her regal air making her movements appear even more graceful than ever.

"Cana Alberona!" Cana gulped and rose from her seat unsteadily. As she passed by Naruto, he gave her a thumbs-up, lifting her spirits a little.

"And the last candidate: Naruto Uzumaki!" A second later, Naruto was on the second floor, appearing in a gust of wind between Laxus and Mirajane.

Dragging Mirajane out of Laxus' embrace, Naruto narrowed his eyes at the grandson of Makarov. From his earlier display, it was safe to assume that he used Lightning Magic, though Naruto made a note to watch out for any other Magic Laxus had up his sleeve. "Hey Mira. Is he bothering you?" He asked, intentionally wrapping her in a protective embrace with her back towards him.

He had seen the way Laxus looked at Mirajane; he looked at her like she was his to have, like she was 'destined' to be with him. At the moment, Naruto wanted to see what Laxus could do and what better way to do so than to goad him into attacking?

Mirajane was a second away from shoving Naruto away before an idea made itself known in her head. She leaned into his embrace, shooting a pleased look right at Laxus, who watched her in surprise. "Yeah, but don't worry about it, _Naruto-kun_." The emphasis and intimate way she spoke his name let all those who heard be on guard. Laxus was dangerously obsessed with Mirajane, something that most people didn't understand how it happened. Was he a masochist or something?

Laxus scowled at their interaction. Just who did this newbie punk think he was? "Who the hell are you and what're you doing with** my** girl?"

Naruto bristled at that, something the girls were quick to catch unto. "If you didn't hear the Master announce my name, then I'd hate to see your sorry ass when you turn senile. And for the record…," K.I began to emanate from the shorter blond in the form of a dark aura and slammed into Laxus with the force of a raging bull. "Mira-chan isn't some kind of property; she belongs to no one."

Lightning began to crackle around Laxus' right arm. "Why you little…" he growled.

"Enough, you two." Makarov chided. "Save the antagonizing for the first trial: the trial of battle prowess!"

**-Era-**

The Magic Council was the ruling body of the world of Magic. It possessed almost utmost control over the Magic world, acting as a leading government of sorts. The Council ruled all of the legal Guilds scattered throughout the lands, overseeing them and keeping them in check, and they were also responsible for the events caused by Mages. They possessed the right to punish Mages who break the law and to confiscate magical artifacts that could potentially cause large-scale damage.

The Magic Council is composed of ten members at a time, or, to be more accurate, nine "seats", going from 2nd to 10th. The 1st seat was occupied by the Chairman, effectively the leader of the entire Council, who took the final decisions on every matter.

At the moment, all members had gathered for one purpose: the assessment of Fairy Tail's rising star, Uzumaki Naruto. The report they had received from Makarov had raised more than an eyebrow; a boy, no older than 13, had magic that was capable of taming wild beasts into docile creatures? Even legendary dragons?

There had been a furious debate regarding the boy; were they going to remove him from the Guild and conscript him into the Royal Army or should he be left in the hands of Makarov? After three days of nonstop bickering, the Chairman finally voiced his decision.

They would wait for the boy to grow within the Fairy Tail Guild before any further action was taken. If he was deemed sufficiently matured, they would act to bring him into their grasp.

At the moment, the Council members were convened around a large circular table, complete with chairs for them to sit on. A huge video Lacrima was levitating in the center of the table, giving all the members a perfect view of it. With the Lacrima, as well as permission from Makarov, the Council members would be able to watch the first two trials from their headquarters. The first member, starting from the right in a clockwise fashion, was a tall old man with a large gray beard and mustache. He had pointy ears and had a habit of only opening on eye. He wore many layers of robes, like the other Magic Council members did. On his head, a small bat-like creature could be seen. His name was Org, the Sage of the Magic Council. "So, the S-Class trials are finally underway. Now we'll see this boy Makarov kept tooting about." He stated gruffly.

"Indeed; it will be interesting to see for skilled he is." The speaker, who sat beside Org, was a short old man with brown hair and mustache. His tufts of hair resembled ears and what appeared to be a light-yellow tail gave him a cat-like appearance. Like all the others, he wore many layers of robes. His name was Michello.

Another member snorted. "I doubt that anything the teenager will display is of any importance. For all we know, his "magic" could be the weakest of those Fairies." His voice was noticeably younger than that of the others, like that of someone going through the final stages of puberty. He was young, around the age of sixteen, and his most prominent features were his blue hair and strange reddish marking/tattoo under and above his right eye. He was dressed in elegant yet simple robes; consisting of a long white tunic with black stripes across the edges and on the upper part of the arms, a decorated collar, large straps connected to decorated buckles closing the inducement on the front over a dark shirt, and matching pants and shoes. He also sported a ring on his right hand's middle finger (telling people to fuck off with style) and the medallion attesting his status as a member of the Ten Wizard Saints around his neck, hidden by his jacket's collar. His name was Siegrain.

A female giggled, a large crystal lacrima being rolled between her hands. "Ara, ara. Siegrain-sama, it's not nice to underestimate someone, especially one praised by the Guild Master." She was even younger than Siegrain, most likely around the age of fourteen. She was pale-skinned with dark purple hair and brown eyes. Her outfit was a simple white yet revealing dress, sporting a stripped pattern. Her name was Ultear Milkovich.

The person sitting next to her was a tall elderly woman. She wore a cloak like her fellow Council members and had on a purple turtle-neck. Her most noticeable trait was her long nose, which gave her more of a witch-like appearance. She had sandy blond hair, which she had tied up into a large ponytail. She was Belno. "I agree with Siegrain; apart from that Lost Magic of his, why should we expect anything extraordinary from the adolescent?"

The next Council member was a small old man with thick flesh-colored eyebrows and a small toothbrush mustache that reached halfway to his mouth. He wore a brown long sleeve shirt with black vertical stripes and a black three-spiked hat. "Come now, Belno. Makarov may be old, but his standards are nothing to scoff at."

The last of the gathered members was a tall middle-aged man, who wore small, round, dark shaded glasses. He wore a white and blue Magic Council cloak, always with the hood up. He had large thin lips and tan skin, with black hair and huge sideburns that almost hit his lips. On his chin were small chin hairs. He also had small eyebrows that pointed down, making him look angry and serious all the time. "The first trial is about to begin, Yajima. It should be quite the display; I heard that Makarov's grandkid will be in the exam."

Ultear made an exaggerated sigh, her hands still playing with her Lacrima. "I wonder what he looks like. Makarov-san gave us no description of Uzumaki-san." A mischievous smile flashed on her face. "Maybe he'll be a cutie…"

Org arched a brow. "Wouldn't it be obvious? They're starting with the trial of battle might; each pair of contestants will fight at a given time with their names being called out. Unless he cracks under the pressure and withdraws, I don't see how we are going to miss him."

**-Fairy Tail Exam Grounds-**

"Alright everyone," Makarov called out, catching the attention of every participating contestant. They were currently in a warded tent, away from the stands in which the other Fairy Tail members were cheering and placing bets. "We're going to be starting in the next five minutes. In this trial, your objective is to defeat your opponent and show your combat prowess." His eyes shifted to Laxus as he spoke his next words. "No serious maiming is allowed; no life-threatening attacks should be used. Bones can be broken, but attacks that seriously affect the health and career of contestants are strictly forbidden."

Naruto frowned. There went his plan of ending Laxus' career via broken spine; Gaara got to do it to those he didn't like when he was a Genin so why couldn't he do it?! _'The price to pay for joining a legal Guild, I guess.'_

A cough from Makarov snapped him back to attention. "The first pair to duke it out will be Erza Scarlet and Setsuna Uchiha." Both girls looked at each other, the former doing so with eagerness and competitive determination while the latter just analyzed her target with a blank face. "When the bell chimes, the expected individuals should make their way to the stage. Good luck to you all." With his piece said, Makarov left them in silence.

Laxus smirked and crossed his arms. "Heh, this'll be a cinch. I'll blast them all away with my power, right Mira?" He turned, expecting to see her drifting closer to him, only to snarl as he saw that damn boy from before talking to her and that brunette weakling. "Hey, bastard! Quit acting so chummy with her!"

Mirajane blinked in surprise as Naruto stopped talking and glared at Laxus. With his perpetual mask hiding his lower face, she couldn't see his full expression but she could tell that he was annoyed. "Are you a jealous child or just retarded? If Mira-chan wants to talk to me, who are you to tell me to stay away from her?"

Laxus flushed an angry red, his fist clenching in anger as Mirajane gave him a disappointed look. What had happened during the time he had been away training the Thunder God Tribe? Sure there had been some friction between them after their last fight, but he thought things would've gone on as they would have!

Was it because of that new guy? Did he seduce Mira away from him, her boyfriend? The more he thought about it, the more likely his theory became and he leveled a hate-filled glare at Naruto. _'I swear I'll get rid of you someday, Uzumaki. Mira belongs to me! Not you! Me!'_

**-Exam Grounds-**

On the stage, which was a large spread of land and served as the battlefield, Setsuna stared at her armor-clad friend with a smile. "Isn't this an unlucky match-up for you, Erza-san?"

Erza said nothing, but her eyes twitched slightly. She had barely won a few of their bouts and the times she won were formed by a combination of luck, surprise tactics and Setsuna's lack of enthusiasm. Oh, she had improved alright but her growth was not so drastic that she could defeat her friend. "Perhaps we should start the match and find out just how it plays out."

"Yes…perhaps we should."

The proctor for the match, who was ironically the Strauss male, decided to not waste any time. "Battle between Setsuna Uchiha and Erza Scarlet…begin!"

**A/N: This seems like a good place to stop; swordfights have never been my thing and starting Naruto's match right off the bat was unappealing to me.**

**Unfortunately, my muse is being a bitch; I was doing so well writing the next chapter for Primordial Transcendent when my rhythm just got cut. I don't know how that happened, but it made writing the rest of it a pain. As such, I turned to this to work on. Don't worry, I'll update my other stories before I work on this fic's next chapter.**

**Just to let you know, Gildarts appears in the next chapter as well as the Thunder God Tribe. You also get to see Naruto's secret second student next time as well. Hopefully what I decided to give her will make sense and appeal to you guys; I mean, he had only six months to work on them before the S-Class business came up.**

**Elfman's growing strength does not mean that he will be winning more of his fights; he just has a higher physical chance of beating his enemies. Mentally? Still needs more than a few lessons to properly get to that badass level I want him to be.**

**Can anyone help me out with swordplay scenes? Any ideas, tips or advice will be much appreciated.**

**After much consideration, I have decided to go SoulReaperCrew's way. That is, canon WILL start by chapter fourteen. However, the start of canon and Lucy's first job request will be different; it is somewhat expected.**

**Maelstrombankai.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Fairy Tail and any other manga/anime that makes an appearance in my works of fiction. If I did, Sasuke would've continued down his dark path and killed Sakura back then. **

**Last Time:**

_**On the stage, which was a large spread of land and served as the battlefield, Setsuna stared at her armor-clad friend with a smile. "Isn't this an unlucky match-up for you, Erza-san?"**_

_**Erza said nothing, but her eyes twitched slightly. She had barely won a few of their bouts and the times she won were formed by a combination of luck, surprise tactics and Setsuna's lack of enthusiasm. Oh, she had improved alright but her growth was not so drastic that she could defeat her friend. "Perhaps we should start the match and find out just how it plays out."**_

"_**Yes…perhaps we should."**_

_**The proctor for the match, who was ironically the Strauss male, decided to not waste any time. "Battle between Setsuna Uchiha and Erza Scarlet…begin!"**_

**Chapter 12: Proving Their Worth**

Barely had the uttered words carried over, both girls were dashing towards each other with speed that surprised those unaware of their training. Being the faster of the two, Setsuna managed to draw her blade well before Erza and started the fight with a feint thrust.

Erza was not deceived and opted to slash at Setsuna with her magic broadsword, putting in a great deal of strength into her swing.

CLANG!

Setsuna's cool eyes met Erza's burning ones as her Kurohime clashed against Erza's blade, both girls not giving an inch as they tried to overpower the other. In a shower of sparks, Setsuna flicked her blade diagonally, knocking the heavier sword away from her. Unlike in their spars, Erza didn't overexert herself; she had learned that lesson from her beat-down by Naruto. Letting go of her sword just as Setsuna flung it aside, Erza whipped her armored fist towards Setsuna.

Setsuna's left hand was quick to slap Erza's fist away, though she had to reinforce it with some chakra to prevent any bruising. Not letting up, Erza turned her tumbling into a roll; clasping the ground, she rotated herself a complete 360 degrees, snapping off double roundhouse kicks towards Setsuna. Instead of making contact with flesh, Erza's feet met no resistance. Settling into a crouch, her battle-honed instincts guiding her, she pulled a shield from her dimension to block Setsuna's mid-air strike.

Grimacing at the force, Erza hopped away from Setsuna, who landed easily despite having her attack blocked by Erza. Setsuna quirked a brow, clearly surprised at Erza's reactions. "My, my. You hardly ever resort to using shields…it seems my lessons haven't been forgotten."

Erza wordlessly requipped two more magic swords which she wielded in a reverse grip. "How were you able to avoid my earlier attack?" she questioned, stalling for some time. The spell she was about to pull off was somewhat new, since she hadn't gotten much practice with it, and she needed every advantage she could get.

Setsuna cupped her cheeks with her unoccupied hand, somewhat amused. "Ara, ara…and here I was, starting to think you had grown out of that habit. I guess I'll have to reeducate you on the etiquette of combat." The tone of her voice, which promised untold amounts of pain and suffering, coupled with the smile that emphasized her angelic features made Erza pale and take a step back.

That was a mistake that almost cost her the match; when Erza backtracked, Setsuna was right in front of her with Kurohime already descending in a vertical slash. She barely managed to block the slash with her right sword, only to be pushed back by Setsuna. Caught off guard, Erza nonetheless blocked Setsuna's rising kick with her second weapon.

Looking into Setsuna's eyes, Erza immediately closed her left eye and concentrated her right eye on Setsuna's Sharingan. "That's better…" She whispered. In an explosion of motion, Setsuna broke herself free from Erza's pin-down, spun herself completely around and landed a blinding kick to Erza's breastplate, sending her skidding away. "Still not good enough!" she called out.

Erza felt the wind rush out of her lungs from the force of Setsuna's kicks and dismissed her broadswords for a katana. Stabbing it into the ground, she cast her spell. "Demon Blade Crimson Sakura!" The blade begun to glow a malevolent red colour, it's edge becoming sharper as she poured more of her magic energy into it. Hearing the whistle of Kurohime once again, Erza skirted around the hail of slashes. "Requip: Flight Armor!" Erza's outfit disappeared to reveal her armor change almost instantaneously.

Naruto, who was watching the fight via video Lacrima in the tent, arched a brow in surprise. That time he had sparred with she and Mirajane, the speed of her Requip skill had been impressive but she had needed to stop moving before the spell took hold. Now she was capable of doing so against someone as fast as Setsuna; it was truly commendable to see the growth she had achieved in only six months.

Leaping back, she dashed towards Setsuna at increased speeds that left her nothing more than a blur in the eyes of even Laxus. With Setsuna suddenly on the defense as well as she attacking with all she had, Erza rained blow upon blow on the raven-haired mage. However, due to her Kekkei Genkai, Setsuna easily saw through her attacks and parried or blocked each of Erza's swings.

Shifting her left leg backwards, Setsuna smiled as she cast her favorite jutsu as of late. "Chidori Koken (One Thousand Birds Sword)." As Erza swung once again, lightning encased the blade of Kurohime. When contact was made, Erza's katana had already been replaced by a long spear in a shower of sparks and clang of metal. Taking a look at Erza, Setsuna smirked as she beheld Erza's impressively speedy requip. The armor was primarily golden and light bluish in colour; the breastplate was decorated with golden trimmings and had thin plates going up to surround Erza's neck. Her head was also adorned by a band with two ribbons on it, and her hair was now styled in a long braid. As noted before, her weapon was a long spear with a very large blade and a decorated circle resembling a shield attaching it to the shaft, adorned by a large ribbon.

**-Waiting Tent-**

In the tent, Laxus let out a snort. "She's actually using the Lightning Empress Armor against that weak Lightning mage? What the hell is she thinking…it's not like she's that much of a threat." He crossed his arms as he stared at the video lacrima, never seeing Mira's frown at him looking down on her rival.

Naruto shook his head at Laxus' words. "Setsuna is one of the best, if not **the** best, Lightning mages in the Guild at the moment." That wasn't exactly true; as far as he knew, he was the most knowledgeable about lightning manipulation in the Guild. However, it was also true because he didn't use lightning jutsu often. "Erza's choice was the necessary action to earn her more points in this race to become S-Class; she shows that she is capable of making decisions that effectively deal with whatever problem she encounters. Also, with her speedy requip, she shows versatility in her fighting style; something that most mages seem to lack."

Laxus growled angrily at being showed up by Naruto once again in front of Mirajane. "Shut up, you god-damn know-it-all. S-Class elites are selected according to their power, not the decisions they make; in the end, those without power are destined to fade into the background, never to become S-Class mages."

Before Naruto could retort, Mirajane made her opinion known. "Would both of you stop fighting already?! The fight is getting interesting, damn it!" She scolded, smacking Laxus' arm and cuffing Naruto. Pulling Naruto towards her, she marched further away from Laxus' position. "Since you two can't be civil near one another, I'll have to separate you two!" she declared.

Laxus scowled as he saw Mirajane slip Naruto's arm near her well-endowed chest. A stab of jealousy twisted his heart; had the new guy not been around, **he** would've been the one to be wrapped in Mirajane's embrace. It angered him to see his closest friend and object of desire being 'taken away' by the blond-haired bastard. _'That bastard…when the time comes, I'll make sure that he gets his hands off my woman.'_

**-Battle Grounds-**

Erza was having a rough time. It wasn't that her Lightning Empress Armor wasn't working, because it was; having fought Setsuna countless times, Erza had known that she could use Lightning magic and saved up specifically for the Lightning Empress armor. However, the manner in which Setsuna utilized said lightning was what really made her struggle.

Unlike Laxus, who preferred to fire bolts from mid-range as well as incorporate the lightning into his hand-to-hand combat, Setsuna channeled a constant stream of highly concentrated lightning through her sword. Not only did this zap Erza each time they clashed, but, with each strike, Erza could feel her Lightning Empress armor crack and break from the increasing voltage.

After all, whilst the Lightning Empress armor halved the offensive power of a lightning attack and granted Erza the limited ability to use Lightning magic, Setsuna's extremely high lightning affinity was more than a match for the armor. Enhanced by her monstrous chakra reserves, even when halved, her blade of lightning was superior to Erza's armor.

Hearing Setsuna's footsteps approach, Erza whirled about and parried her thrust. A knee strike slammed into her breastplate once again, a distinct crack being heard as Erza gasped in pain. Releasing her requip, Erza stumbled around in a daze.

Setsuna watched Erza wobble about, her arms gripping her chest, and decided to end her match. Erza had shown enough for the Master to consider; there was no need to continue this farce. She disappeared into a flock of ravens from her position and rematerialized in front of Erza, a discrete hand-seal ready to cast the Genjutsu…

Only for her deeply-ingrained reflexes saved her from a beheading. Throwing her head back to dodge Erza's diagonal swipe, Setsuna let herself fall to her back whilst striking out with another rising kick.

Erza blocked her with her gauntlets and immediately leaped away. Settling into a crouched stance, she weighed her options. She could continue fighting, give up or try and force Setsuna to give up. She snorted at the first one; Setsuna was only playing with her and knew most, if not all, of her tactics. Going against an opponent with so much information about her strengths and weaknesses was tantamount to suicide, had these circumstances been a reality.

The second option appealed to her more than she wanted to admit. Half a year ago, she wouldn't have even considered that as an option; she would've continued fighting until she dropped. On one hand, giving up would leave a bad taste in her mouth and slight her pride as a mage. On the other hand, Makarov hadn't told them what task was after this one; for all she knew, it would require her to have some measure of magic energy left in order to pass. Wasting all her magic on this fight would show that she was incapable of planning for the possibility of future skirmishes i.e. she would come across as someone who focused on the here-and-now, rather than conserving energy for possible future battles. Also, her pride wasn't everything to her; so what if she didn't make S-Class on her first try? Everything happened for a reason, so if she didn't make the cut, she could always try again next time.

The third option…was impossible. Getting Mirajane to act like a refined lady would be infinitely easier than attempting to mislead Setsuna. The last time she had tried that, she ended up buried in the earth for the most of her afternoon.

Sighing, Erza raised her hand. "I forfeit. This match will only end in my defeat if I continue and I see no point in doing so." She found it a bit annoying that Elfman was ogling her with disbelieving eyes, but managed to restrain her annoyance to a minor tick mark.

Getting himself back together, Elfman proceeded to call out. "Winner by forfeit, Setsuna Uchiha!"

**-Waiting Tent-**

Mirajane blinked owlishly at the announcement. "She forfeited? Red actually forfeited her match?!" She was two seconds away from flipping her shit; Erza, the most stubborn person in the entire Fairy Tail Guild besides her, had actually swallowed her pride and acknowledged Setsuna as her superior?

Naruto, who was standing beside her and Cana, shrugged. "That was the only thing she could do; Setsuna knows how she fights, is physically better than her and can't be outmaneuvered by just anyone. The match was over the moment it started; Erza put up her best, but sometimes luck is never always on your side…something that Erza just experienced."

Cana frowned, her eyes drifting from the video lacrima to Naruto. "Why give up though? How does that show that a person is capable of being S-Class?" She could hazard a guess, but she needed to stay away from the center of attention at the moment. Currently, Naruto was the one in the spotlight; he had proven himself to be an expert in combat and was strong enough to beat Setsuna, according to her sushi obsessed friend. Laxus had shown a desire to thrash him, Mirajane was interested in the possibility of fighting him again and even she wanted to see how she measured against him.

This served her well; with no one, Naruto excepted because he was the kind of person to never underestimate someone, expecting her to be any competition she had the element of surprise in her favor. Well, unless she was paired against Naruto…

Naruto produced a book from somewhere on his person and began to lazily flip the pages. "I find no fault with Erza when it comes to standing against Setsuna with courage. However, very few people have the courage to sheathe their sword once it's out." He stopped at a marked page and began reading from it. "Fear is not evil. It tells you what your weakness is. And once you know your weakness, you can grow stronger and more adaptable to the challenges you encounter. It's necessary in order to become an S-Class mage. Learn this lesson well and you'll definitely go far in life."

The sound of the tent flap opening had each of the remaining candidates shifting their attention to see Makarov and another individual enter. Naruto narrowed his eyes as he sized up the stranger: he was a tall and muscular man with shoulder-length reddish orange hair, which was kept slick back, and some stubble around his mouth and on his chin. His attire was simple; a dark, tattered cape over his bare chest, with a high collar and armored plates on the shoulders, held closed by a belt and covering his whole figure, and loose dark pants, complete with an armored waist-guard with plates similar to the ones on his shoulders, tucked inside simple boots.

The man's magical capacity was something that interested Naruto; even though Naruto felt that it was suppressed to the barest minimum, he could tell that it completely surpassed anything the S-Class hopefuls could hope to pull off. If he were to compare his old self to the stranger, at the man's utmost best…it would be a close one, but Naruto was confident that he would've found a way to beat him though he doubted if it would be anything different than the usual trend: overwhelm his enemies with his Kage Bunshin, activate the Kyuubi Chakra Mode and finish it off with a new version of the Rasengan. He sweat-dropped. _'Damn, I really did have the Lady Luck's favor if I managed to survive doing that…'_

His sensitive ears managed to catch Cana's startled gasp as she laid her eyes on the man. Pretending to read his book, his eyes watched the emotions play across her face; surprise, joy, sadness, shame and the tiniest seeds of hate. A rather interesting mix of contrasting emotions, especially the last one. He was curious about the possible relationship between the man and Cana but shrugged and returned to his book. If she was ready to tell him, she'd tell him' there was no point in prodding her for details.

"Alright everyone, gather round. It's time for the next pair of contestants to be chosen." Makarov said as he stood in front of the video lacrima. "Let me remind you that losing or forfeiting your match doesn't mean that you're out of the running for S-Class; should you fall against your opponent, use that as experience and better yourselves." Shooting a look at his companion, Makarov coughed lightly. "The next match, which was chosen in a completely random manner, is Cana Alberona vs. Mirajane Strauss." The apologetic look he sent her annoyed the brunette Card Mage.

Mirajane eyed Cana with an appraising eye. "You ready to do this, sister?"

Laxus interjected before Cana could say a word. "What are you saying? That Card Magic of hers against your Take Over? What other outcome do you expect besides you wiping the floor with her?"

Cana gritted her teeth in anger and disappointment as she heard Laxus, one of their strongest mages, talk her down in front of Gildarts. She was upset at having her magic insulted and degraded to something that wasn't even worth learning; she had spent several years practicing her Card magic, put in so much time, sweat and energy into mastering her magic. For it to be looked down on, especially by the Master, pissed her off like nothing before. Before she could open her mouth, most likely to retort and end up saying something she hadn't meant to say, Naruto spoke.

"Do your best Cana. I'm pretty sure you've got some surprises for us to see." He gave her a discrete wink when she turned and looked him in the eye.

She felt her heart clench uncomfortably. Was he-? Shoving her thoughts to the side, she nodded resolutely and headed off to the stands, her mind a whirlwind of plans and counter-plans. On her right arm, a seal became visible for the briefest of seconds before fading out of view just as quickly as it came.

**-Exam Grounds-**

Elfman audibly gulped as he watched his sister and Cana walk out of the tent, the both of them obviously being the next pair to fight. _'Nee-chan, you'd better not underestimate Cana…you have no idea of how much she's changed.'_ He closed his eyes and sighed deeply. This next battle could get a little ugly; his sister was never really one for surprises.

"Are both fighters ready?" Cana nodded resolutely whilst Mirajane smirked. "Begin!"

Cana immediately began flinging rows of magic cards at Mirajane, her movements quick and precise. Mirajane easily weaved through the barrage of cards, though she made a note to avoid them after hearing the cards hit the earth with enough strength to shatter it. Cana kept her face blank as she continued sending more cards en masse towards her opponent.

Mirajane barked out a laugh as she proceeded to dodge, somersault and avoid all of Cana's cards. "Oi, Cana! Get serious already, this little act of yours is boring!" Leaping away from another hail of cards, Mirajane decided to go on the offensive. Extending her hand towards Cana, her magic flowed underneath the brunette as she called out her spell. "Darkness Stream!"

A multitude of large tendrils exploded from the ground and lunged towards Cana. Darting out of the tendril's reach, Cana swore as another group of tendrils emerged from the ground and tried to engulf her. "Wind Edge!" She pulled out two cards: "_Heaven_" and one unnamed (with green, wind-like drawing on it) and combined them in one hand, and with the other one, when she waved it in the direction of the spell, activating it. An ascending air blast was generated from the ground several meters away from her, which forced Mirajane to leap into the skies to avoid them.

When Cana saw this, she allowed a smirk to cross her face. _'Gotcha!'_

Channeling magic energy into her left hand, she quickly tapped her right bicep whilst simultaneously releasing the gathered energy. In a puff of smoke, two black gloves appeared in her hand. Managing to get one on whilst Mirajane was still airborne, she leaped towards her and cocked her right gloved fist back.

Mirajane saw the incoming fist and grimaced as she prepared to block it. _'Shit.'_

What happened next was what really took the cake. When the punch landed, Mirajane was flung waaaay past the distance she should've landed; instead of being knocked downwards with only a slight increase in speed, she was propelled away from her original position with speed comparable to Jet!

The crowd was silent for a few moments, no doubt trying to figure out what had happened, before cheering like hell for the show.

Landing gracefully, Cana pulled on the other glove and peered into the dust clouds that had kicked up when Mirajane crashed into the earth. She could barely make out a figure; squinting her eyes, she saw something that looked remarkably like a bat wing…

"Demon Blast!" A large ball of dark energy blew away the dust cloud to reveal Mirajane in her Partial Take-Over form. She aimed the ball at Cana and fired, a large violet beam streaking towards her.

Thinking fast, Cana slammed her fists unto the ground. The force of her blow managed to shift a layer of earth up, which she hastily constructed into a makeshift barrier by warding it with her magic energy. When Mira's attack hit, an enormous dust cloud erupted, thick and heavy; providing Cana with a good smokescreen cover.

Standing feet away from the dust cloud, Mirajane's form was fully revealed to the crowd. Unlike her Satan Soul, she did not age when using this spell; one could say that it looked much like a miniature Satan Soul transformation. Her hair was still styled in the same wild fashion as it usually was in her Satan Soul. Her outfit was the same; the same gothic clothing she always wore. Her arms were covered in scales, though they lacked the fin-like protrusion on the outer side as well as the gauntlets. Large wings completed the form; such wings were reminiscent of a bat's, and came with small spike-like protrusions on their upper edges.

"The Prayer's Fountain!" A fountain of water shot out from within the cloud of dust, shooting towards Mirajane with unerring speed. "Jolt of Fate!" Lightning followed the water, its static form winking in and out of existence as it surged forwards.

Taking to the air once again, Mirajane smirked when Cana burst out from her hiding place and ready another strike. Shooting forwards with her wings, Mira whirled about with a roundhouse kick that clashed with Cana's right hook. Using her momentum to enhance her blow, Mirajane decked Cana across the stadium with her right fist and finished it off with another Demon Blast attack.

Slamming into Cana, the beam smashed her hard unto the unforgiving earth with enough strength to form a miniature crater. When the dust clouds had settled, Cana's battered and bruised form could be seen shuddering on the ground. The crowd made various sympathetic noises as Mirajane landed in front of the downed girl, her face having a somewhat sad expression etched unto her face.

Cana was her friend, one of the true friends she had in the Guild. She wasn't much of a fighter and her magic was more of a Support Magic than combat-oriented whilst Mirajane was seemingly built for combat. The moment the Master had called their names, both of them had known how it was going to end.

The fact that Cana gave it her all and would continue getting up just made it more saddening.

Mirajane crouched down, preparing to knock Cana out and claim victory, when she felt it. A pulse of magic energy directly below her. Eyes widening, she made to leap away only for a magic circle to blaze into existence. "Summoned Lightning!" Cana's cry threw her for a loop; it wasn't coming from the Cana she had been about to knock out, it was coming from behind her!

A cage of green lightning rapidly expanded from the seal and swallowed Mirajane whole, electrifying her with copious amounts of lightning. Mirajane's pained screams tugged at Elfman's heartstrings but he willed himself to not give in to his desire to end the match just yet. There was still a chance that Mirajane could turn things around.

The battered Cana burst into smoke just as the lightning cage was torn apart by a potent blast of Darkness Magic. Landing shakily, Mirajane began searching for her opponent in a disoriented haze. _'That last attack of hers really knocked me for a loop…need to end this quickly.'_ Griping her knees to steady herself, Mira then noticed a shadow growing larger and larger.

"Heaven Kick of Pain!" Due to her disoriented state, Mira made the rookie mistake of looking towards the direction of the shout. A sandaled foot slammed into her face and drove it deep within the earth in a mini-crater, kicking up another dust cloud in the arena. Unlike last time, Cana had not used her magic-induced strength to pull the attack off; she still had problems with controlling the flow of energy the way Naruto and Lisanna could and attempting to do so in the middle of a battle would only blow up in her face.

There was silence in the arena as Cana panted from the strenuous fight. Standing proudly, albeit tiredly, she lifted her fist in victory. "Winner by knockout, Cana Alberona!"

**-Erza-**

With the Magic Council, each and every member had been watching the fights with interest to gauge the strength of Fairy Tail's latest generation. Whilst some of the members, namely Siegrain and Belno, were annoyed by the constant delaying of Naruto's debut, others were mostly impressed by the fights they had seen so far.

Whilst the battles did not match against those of S-Class mages, it was remarkable that mages as young as them could fight as well as Fairy Tail's latest batch. Org kept twirling his beard as he watched the ongoing fights. "Such an impressive and efficient Requip ability…this Erza Scarlet seems to have pushed the boundaries of Requip Magic to its limits. When word of her skill gets out, she might even become a role model for future Requip mages."

Michello nodded, his squinty eyes closed in thought. "Her swordsmanship skills are intriguingly high for a teenager; if I were to give an honest estimation of her swordplay, I'd say she is roughly on par with our Captains." He opened his eyes and frowned as he watched Erza and Setsuna clash. "The other girl, Setsuna Uchiha, also shows much promise; not only is she highly skilled with the blade, but she is able to use it in conjuncture with Lightning magic to cause major damage to her opponents."

Siegrain chuckled, his eyes locked unto the form of his former childhood friend. "Indeed, she does have talent. Being able to overcome the Lightning Empress Armor is something only a few individuals can do and even then they use other forms of magic to do so. For her to perform such a feat, she must have an exceptionally strong Lightning affinity."

Yajima bobbed his head in agreement. "Aye. I've never seen anyone think of running lightning magic through a blade; most of the time, the weapon used is a spear to prevent any accidental shocks to the wielder due to its long length. However, I can see why a blade could also be used. Not only will the lightning push the sharpness of the blade to its absolute maximum, but, if an opponent is stabbed, their body will go numb. Very unorthodox solution but very effective."

Belno huffed. "That may be so, but I believe that match between Cana Alberona and Mirajane Strauss was disappointing. Strauss was barely paying attention to her surroundings, focusing solely on defeating her opponent and showing little to no strategy to prove that she is S-Class material."

Ultear covered her lips as she giggled. "Well, what did you expect from mages of Fairy Tail? They rarely think and are prone to bouts of emotion-induced insanity. If anything, we should be impressed with Miss Alberona's performance; it's very rare that we see mages of Fairy Tail fight with strategy."

Yajima gave a start as the next announcement was made. _**"Last fight of the first trial: Naruto Uzumaki vs. Laxus Dreyar**_!" "It's starting!"

As the Council members shifted their attention to the video lacrima, Siegrain smirked as he leaned back. Erza's performance was good, but he needed a strong sacrifice to bring back the Black Mage Zeref. Even if she continued to grow at this rate, she would fall short of the margin. _'Still, one good thing has come out of this; Setsuna Uchiha…Naruto Uzumaki…I wonder if either of you will be the one to free Master Zeref from his slumber.'_

**-Fairy Tail Exam Grounds-**

In the center of the grounds, the two males of the S-Class potentials stood facing each other. On the southern hemisphere of the center, Laxus smirked as he shrugged off his cape and removed his Magic Earphones. Tossing them off to the side whilst keeping his gaze on his adversary, Laxus began stretching and warming up. To the onlookers, he appeared unconcerned about the upcoming fight. "So, you ready to eat dirt boy?"

Naruto, standing opposite Laxus, ignored the taunt and opted to begin removing his ankle-length black coat. As he tugged at one side, the three 'x' shaped marks that held it together fell apart easily and quickly. Removing the coat, the crimson vest that he wore underneath was revealed; also, the tattoo-like bands that crossed over his chest, wrists and black lines on his forearms were more exposed to viewing. The coat disappeared in a burst of light and Naruto stared at Laxus with bored half-lidded eyes. "The question you should be asking me is how far I'm going to thrash you to the ground. If I were you, I'd start abandoning hope right about now."

Laxus scowled heavily and settled into his ready stance. "I'm going to make you eat those words." He snarled.

Naruto shrugged and reached into his pocket to remove a book, causing Laxus to look at him strangely and Elfman to face-palm. "I'm ready when you are."

Deciding to get things started, Elfman brought his hands down, "Naruto Uzumaki vs. Laxus Dreyar…Begin!"

Turning a page, Naruto decided to start the match slowly to get a feel of Laxus. He had a general idea of what Laxus was capable of; now, he needed to get the specifics and limits of Makarov's grandson. "Shouldn't you be attacking about now, Honourable Grandson?"

Laxus stiffened at the name and released a great deal of magic energy in the form of lightning from his body. Lightning surged around him like a pseudo-armor, bathing him in bright yellow light. If Naruto didn't know any better, he would've thought that Laxus was trying to resemble an angel or heavenly being. "Don't you **ever** call me that." He commanded, his voice thick with negative emotion.

Naruto paid him no attention, simply flipping the pages once again. "Ara, ara. You think you're in any position to be ordering me about,…Ho-nour-able Grand-son?" He eye-smiled, making Laxus turn red with anger.

"FUCK YOU!" Manipulating the lightning energy in his body, Laxus' body disappeared into pure elemental lightning bolts that sparked with furious vigor. The bolts rushed towards Naruto at the speed of sound, easily appearing behind the blond and rematerializing into Laxus, who had a lightning clad fist descending towards Naruto's back.

A lazy backhand sent him flying away from Naruto in an undignified heap towards the ground. Managing to recover just in time and land safely, Laxus winced as the left half of his face throbbed. Rubbing it, his unobstructed eye narrowed at Naruto. _'How…How did his eyes manage to keep up with my speed?! I should've been able to hit him without him noticing!'_ Deciding to try again, Laxus used his Lightning Body spell to speed away and try striking Naruto from his right side; with his right hand occupied, it would be easier to attack that side.

Unfortunately for Laxus, Naruto had been dealing with shinobi that moved just as fast as Laxus for much longer than he bothered to count. By the time Laxus had covered half the distance towards him, Naruto was already in motion; a raised right leg blocked the lightning user's charging knee strike, his left hand parrying the punch aimed for his gut.

Laxus immediately retreated and tried again from another side with increasing frustration, which only continued to grow as Naruto blocked, dodged and countered each of strikes. What really annoyed Laxus was the fact that he was not only managing to keep up with Laxus' Lightning Rush, but that he had yet to take a single bloody step the entire time! It was almost like he could predict his movements!

An elbow met Laxus' face with intense abruptness, the force behind the blow actually managing to deactivate Laxus' Lightning Body spell for a moment. Regaining his composure, Laxus tried once again to catch Naruto with his speed; appearing right above the reading blond, he lashed out with a diagonal descending kick towards Naruto's head.

That was when Naruto moved. Like nothing Laxus had ever seen before, the blond _disappeared_ from his view at speeds that his eyes could not see. His attack missing completely, Laxus didn't even have time to regain his balance before Naruto fazed into view and smashed his elbow right in the same place as his earlier attack. Sent to the floor once again, Laxus growled heatedly as Naruto continued to read that book of his. _'This…This can't be happening! I can't possibly be toyed with by that newbie! It's all a dream…that's what it is! I'm going to wake up…and I'll be victorious!'_

Then Laxus noticed something that stopped him cold. Where Naruto was standing, was the _exact_ position he had been before he had disappeared and avoided Laxus' kick! There were no footprints, nothing to indicate that he had moved!

Laxus wouldn't know it, but that moment was when he began seeing Naruto as someone to measure himself against. His speed, even amongst Lightning Mages, was inhuman; praises were showered on him for being one of, if not **the**, fastest in Fiore. Naruto's speed wasn't inhuman; that would be insulting for someone like him to be compared to a human. It wasn't god-like even, for that implied that, impressive as it was, it did not reach a level beyond mortal comprehension. That assumption would also be wrong.

Naruto's speed was that of the gods themselves; speed on a level that transcended past the limits of lowly half-evolved beings.

Stilling his shakings, Laxus decided to try something new. Placing his right arm a few centimeters away from his left, with both of his palms open and held outstretched, Laxus created a sphere of lightning around his outstretched forearm. "Thunder Bullets!" Barrages of small, yet destructive lightning orbs were fired towards Naruto at high speed.

Seeing the bolts shooting towards him, Naruto decided that his book needed to disappear lest it get caught in the crossfire. Stowing it in his pocket, where it was sealed away, Naruto charged towards Laxus, avoiding the barrage of orbs like a snake gliding on a river body as though they were moving in slow motion.

Appearing in front of Laxus with nary a sound, Naruto launched Laxus upwards with a powerful kick reminiscent of Might Gai's 'Asa Kujaku (Morning Peacock)' taijutsu move. Not letting up, he used the Kage Buyo (Shadow of the Dancing Leaf) to appear behind Laxus, closely matching his body's movement. Using the 'Creation of All Things' jutsu to create black wrappings, Naruto deftly restrained Laxus similar to how Lee used his bandages to perform the 'Omote Renge (Front Lotus)'.

With Laxus restrained, Naruto slapped on a gravity seal and threw Laxus to the ground. Still hanging in mid-air, Naruto took in a deep breath as he manipulated his potent chakra to flow like Natsu's and attacked. "Fire Dragon's," Hearing the crowd go silent at his words, Naruto smirked at the confusion they must be feeling at the moment. "Roar!"

A massive pillar of flames descended upon Laxus, resulting in a tremendous explosion that blew apart a good size of the grounds and forcing Elfman to leap away into the stands.

Landing in a half-crouch, Naruto peered into the smoke to see Laxus struggling to stand, several burns visible on his frame. _'Payback is a bitch, ain't it? Still, I'd better wrap things up quickly.'_ Blurring towards the staggering Laxus, Naruto focused chakra into his hands and _punched_.

Several times. In rapid succession. At point blank range. "Asa Kujaku (Morning Peacock)!"

Face. Arms. Legs. Chest. Gut. Back to the face. Switch to chest. Naruto left no place unmarked in his furious assault, striking just as hard as it was fast.

All the crowd could see were countless flames that fanned out in the shape and appearance of a peacock's feathers as Naruto continued to wail on Laxus, not letting up until he felt Laxus was unconscious. Knocking Laxus down to the ground, Naruto waited for half a minute, calmly reading his book once again, before the crowd and Elfman snapped out of their gawking.

"Winner by Knockout! Naruto Uzumaki!"

**A/N: I'm ending it here; the intelligence test Leaf Ranger and I discussed won't take up that much time to write, so I'm not including it in this chapter. Chapter 13, god knows when it'll be up, will contain the other two trials and effectively wrap up the Pre-Canon Arc. It'll also include the reactions of the Council Members, the Guild itself as well as more Zeref screen time. The Cana/Mirajane and Naruto/Laxus fights were really hard for me to write; I can't just give them their full arsenal from the get-go and assume that they were buffed up throughout the years; Laxus would have a more limited arsenal than Canon Laxus at this point in time. HOWEVER, expect the battle royal to be much better than this. **

**Now, can anyone tell me why there are so many evil people in this world who recommend crap like Boku no Pico to watch? A friend of mine tried that on me, luckily I had already heard about it and didn't bother myself. The very fact that it exists makes me nauseated.**

**I'm not sure if I should base my upcoming Naruto/Bleach crossover on the period before Bleach Ch 540 or include current manga developments in the story. Any suggestions?**

**I've also decided to change a few of the FT 'boss fights'; I mean, with Naruto thrown in the mix, my story can hardly follow canon to the 'T', can it? If you don't like spoilers…well, think of it this way: if I say Battle A will be changed, that doesn't really say much does it? It's not like I'm telling you how it's gonna play out, is it? Anyways, here are the confirmed 'new' fights:**

**Naruto vs. Jellal (It's easy to see that happening if you read what Jellal was thinking and the paths which he could take following that train of thought)**

**Naruto/Laxus vs. Hades (Don't get me wrong, the canon fight was awesome but Naruto isn't going to let five of his nakama, who are low on juice, go fight the 'Big Bad' and get themselves killed. Also, he is the only one with the resolve to kill Hades, something I'm glad happened in canon despite the circumstances.)**

**Naruto vs. Acnologia (Something that has always been in my head since I started this story; I think you'll like what I plan on doing in regards to this fight)**

**These are the confirmed changes; I might have more, but those will be a surprise. PM me if you're too curious to let it go and I'll see what I can do.**

**Regarding Jellal, I see him as a somewhat impatient person. Sure he has some patience, but I'm sure he's not above using a 'shortcut' to further his goals. If Erza is taking too long to grow and become a suitable sacrifice, he'll just look for another target to 'free' Zeref. I also like him when he was evil, so I doubt I'll be doing a good Jellal during the Oracion Seis arc. Don't like it? Sorry, but that won't change; I've always found it irritating that he just loses his memories like that and goes on the road of a martyr. Remember when he struck Natsu with those flames during the fight with Master Zero? I was so excited, thinking that evil Jellal was back after seeing his 'bad guy' face, only to have my hopes shattered. **

**Concerning the latest Naruto chapter…I smell Orochimaru and Sasuke turning on the Allied Shinobi and attempting to make Sasuke the next Juubi Jinchuuriki. After all, Orochimaru would want to have the best body and live forever and what better way to do that than making Sasuke, his next target, a Jinchuuriki? Sasuke, I think, hasn't completely let go of his hatred; with the Juubi's power in his hands, Konoha wouldn't stand a chance. With the Four Hokage under Orochimaru's control, with the exception of Hashirama, it would be possible for them to do so. With Tsunade on Death's door, the Five Kage don't really seem to have a bright future.**

**Review! Review! Review!**

**MaelstromBankai.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Fairy Tail and any other manga/anime that makes an appearance in my works of fiction. If I did, Sasuke would've continued down his dark path and killed Sakura back then.**

**Last Time:**

_**Landing in a half-crouch, Naruto peered into the smoke to see Laxus struggling to stand, several burns visible on his frame. 'Payback is a bitch, ain't it? Still, I'd better wrap things up quickly.' Blurring towards the staggering Laxus, Naruto focused chakra into his hands and punched.**_

_**Several times. In rapid succession. At point blank range. "Asa Kujaku (Morning Peacock)!"**_

_**Face. Arms. Legs. Chest. Gut. Back to the face. Switch to chest. Naruto left no place unmarked in his furious assault, striking just as hard as it was fast.**_

_**All the crowd could see were countless flames that fanned out in the shape and appearance of a peacock's feathers as Naruto continued to wail on Laxus, not letting up until he felt Laxus was unconscious. Knocking Laxus down to the ground, Naruto waited for half a minute, calmly reading his book once again, before the crowd and Elfman snapped out of their gawking. **_

"_**Winner by Knockout! Naruto Uzumaki!"**_

**Chapter 13: It's Finally Here! Demon King vs. Guild Ace!-Part 1**

The outcome of the announcement was as predictable as rain on a cloudy day; the crowd of mages roared their delight and approval, loudly shouting and waving their hands in fervent emotion at the recent battle that they had witnessed. Bottles of beer were cracked open and consumed with zeal that would've appeared extravagant in the eyes of those outside of the Guild, meaty claps were reverberated through the stands as proud friends of the combatants exchanged words of praise and pride.

In one section of the stands, where the younger generations were seated, Natsu let out a boisterous cheer at Naruto's victory, even going so far as to stand on his seat and shout out his excitement. "WOOHOO! Yeah! That fight was awesome! Naruto beat that Laxus like he was a sack of potatoes!"

"Aye!" Happy agreed, his little cat body being coddled by Lisanna.

Gray, who was sitting two seats beside Natsu and right beside Lisanna, had a huge smile on his face as he nodded in agreement. "Yeah, he owned Laxus so bad that even the Old Man must feel sorry for him." Placing his hands behind his head, Gray leaned back slightly to survey the downed form of Laxus with satisfied eyes. "Can't say that I'm not enjoying this. I think that bully got what he deserves-someone to finally kick him from that pedestal he love to tout about."

Lisanna frowned uncertainly at Gray's words, unintentionally playing with Happy's wings. "Still, I think Naruto was a bit too harsh on him…that last attack seems really-"

"Awesome, right?! I bet he could teach me a few of his moves, then I'll be even more kick-ass than I am now!" Natsu crowed, shooting a smug look towards Gray which made said Ice Mage scowl heavily.

Sitting up from his previous position, ignoring the unintentional slap from Wakaba, Gray shot his rival a dirty look. "As if Naruto is going to waste his time teaching you any of his moves; you'd just burn the Guild Hall again, just like when he tried to teach you how to do the 'Katon: Hosenka no Jutsu'."

Immediately in Gray's face, squishing his way past Lisanna with surprising force, Natsu snarled at his rival and spewed flames from his mouth. "At least he knew better to try and teach me his attacks than to waste his time on a snowcone stripper like you!"

Gray gained a tick mark at Natsu's words and began to push his head against Natsu's. "Shows what you know; he already taught me a bunch of stuff that he said was above your level! Wanna see!?"

"Bring it on, snowflake! I'll burn ya to a crisp!"

"In your dreams!"

Lisanna sighed in exasperation as the two began another mock fight beside her, a giant dust cloud obscuring their forms and only sounds of their tussle being heard.

Honestly, boys were so stupid sometimes.

**-Waiting Tent-**

Inside the tent, Makarov and Gildarts watched the projection lacrima as it showed the last few moments of Naruto's fight, namely the last attack he had used on Laxus. Having both fought against several high-level hand to hand combatants in their lives, they were each able to recognize the amount of skill that was required to pull off the devastating technique that they had witnessed.

Gildarts frowned as the scene was replayed once again. "I'm not sure what to make of this, Master. No matter how much of a genius the boy must be, he simply shouldn't be able to achieve such a powerful attack at his age. His body should be in the mid-stages of puberty, meaning his body should be changing to adapt to its future design and granting him more strength to utelise. For him to have such strength, at this young age…," He shrugged hopelessly. "I just can't make heads or tails of it."

Makarov said nothing, simply folding his arms as he watched the projection play the furious assault of Naruto's blows, which were so fast that some of them seemed little more than twitches on the screen. "Another thing that bugs me," Gildarts continued, "is the nature of that attack. If you look at it carefully, the first attack seems to deal the most damage and renders the victim paralyzed because of the greatly pained state they find themselves. The following attacks are only slightly less powerful than the first, implying that the attack altogether was designed to be a one-attack kill technique and end its target's life by the end of the barrage. Whilst Laxus is clearly not dead, I don't think Naruto should be considered as an S-Class Mage for some time…no member of Fairy Tail, no matter how recent an addition they are, should never use such a damaging technique on another."

Makarov sighed heavily. "I can understand where you're coming from Gildarts…believe me, a part of me wishes to do as you say and remind Naruto about Fairy Tail being his family; family always sticks together, no matter what and what he did was certainly crossing the line." Sucking in a deep breath, Makarov continued to speak. "However, as the Guild Master and a person, I cannot prevent Naruto from achieving S-Class status; no matter how much I push it to the back of my mind, Laxus' words ring true. Without you and I, Fairy Tail is really nothing to boast about; before Naruto and Setsuna's arrival, Laxus would have been considered the strongest after you and we both know how vast the difference in power exists between you two."

Turning to face the shocked visage of Gildarts, Makarov spoke once more. "Despite how much we try to deny it, Fairy Tail _needs_ stronger mages to flourish. Without stronger mages, there would be less requests. With less requests, there would be less to offer to those interested in joining the Guild. If this continues, the future of the Guild would be a bleak one."

Snapping out of his shock, Gildarts growled at Makarov. "You're going to let a future flight risk become an S-Class Mage because of something that might not even come true? Come on old man, you've got to see that going down this route can backfire and tarnish Fairy Tail's name even more than you think!"

"Unfortunately Gildarts, that is my decision. I will impress the importance of loyalty and family upon Naruto, mark my words, but I will not deny him the chance to achieve more in life. This discussion is over." With that said, the diminutive old man walked out towards the candidates, leaving Gildarts to stew in his thoughts.

**-Second Tent-**

Within the second tent that had been erected during the earlier fights rested the S-Class candidates, all of which had looks of anticipation, surliness and, in the case of Laxus, loathing as they waited for Master Makarov to arrive and inform them of the next trial.

Erza and Mirajane were huddled together in one corner, with the former talking in a low yet heated tone whilst the latter was arguing just as harshly, with her arms crossed in defiance. To everyone in the tent, it was obvious that Erza was grilling her lifelong rival/friend about her rather disappointing match with Cana. It was easy for Naruto to see that Erza was trying to come to terms with the fact that Mirajane, the person she could not easily defeat and often drew ties with, was bested by Cana…quite handily at that. Somewhere in the deep corners of her mind, despite her knowing that she had grown immensely under Setsuna's tutelage, she was now having some doubt about her capabilities.

Naruto sighed. Young teenage girls were such a puzzle to work out, with the constant contradictory messages that they sent out.

Crossing his arms, Naruto felt his arm brush against his coat pocket where a scroll lay hidden. Letting his eyes casually sweep over his surroundings once again, he silently admonished himself for being so eager to read what Jiraiya had sent him. _'The S-Class Exam is not the time and place for me to be reading what Ero-sensei has discovered. The Magic Council will be watching, and this Exam will be my only chance to make a good impression on them.'_

Standing by his side as always, Setsuna shifted from one foot to the other as she studied Laxus Dreyar in mild interest and thinly veiled disdain. She had heard what he had said about her apprentice and was quite displeased with the way he talked down about Erza's battle tactics. The arrogance he showed reminded her of the unpleasant antics of Senju Nawaki, her former Chunin squad Commander, as well as the Senju Clan in its entirety.

With a Genjutsu cast on her eyes, no one but Naruto noticed her activate the famed Kekkei Genkai of her clan and lock eye contact with him.

Within the seal, Kurame chuckled at the actions of her kit. _**"That fool won't know what hit him. Good one, Setsuna; it's almost like they've never even thought of tipping things in their favor."**_

Setsuna mentally nodded. _'Hai, though Naruto-sama still has the biggest advantage over all of us…though I wonder if he managed to tag Dreyar-san with his Hiraishin seal. Either way, it still places Naruto-sama at the top of the order.'_

"_**And you at the second position, right?"**_

She shrugged. _'Who else would be a challenge for Naruto-sama?'_

The tent flaps were flung open and Makarov entered with a serious face. "Alright kids, the next trial will be commencing shortly so you should all be getting ready. I see that those who were injured have been restored to their previous condition thanks to the aid of Porlyusica; I bet you are all wondering why that has been done." He stated, gesturing to the healthy looking Mirajane, Erza and Laxus.

Seeing their nods, Makarov continued. "The fact is, these trials will only increase in difficulty as we progress to the end of the Exams. As such, all participants are healed after each trial to prevent any decrease in performance due to injuries sustained in previous trials as well as to check and disqualify those participants that use certain stimulants to enhance their progress."

"Has there ever been a case when doping was an issue?" Erza asked, a frown marring her face at the thought of someone cheating in the Exam.

Makarov nodded seriously. "Yes, there have been a few cases when some mages, who felt overwhelmed by the desire to achieve S-Class status that they underwent all sorts of rituals, took all sorts of potions and did anything they could to pass the exam."

Laxus snorted at that. "What losers…if they hadn't been weak-kneed, they wouldn't have need to use such cowardly measures. I, for one, feel quite insulted that you would think we'd do something like that old man." He shot an angered look at his grandfather.

Naruto and Setsuna eye-rolled. Why did the people here see cheating as underhanded? When facing opposition from several people, it was always best to give yourself an edge to make up for the number disadvantage you would have.

Makarov scowled. "Insulted or not, you'd better take that warning to heart in this Exam. Now get yourselves prepared for the next trial; the Trial of Knowledge."

**-Era-**

Back with the Magic Council, many of the Council members were talking in loud tones amongst themselves about the young mage Fairy Tail Guild Master Makarov had bragged so brazenly about: the young mage, Naruto Uzumaki. Having just watched the match between him and Laxus Dreyar, a powerful Lightning Mage in his own right, many of them were ecstatic and impressed with the results of the match.

Yajima gave a rambunctious laugh as the fight ended. "Ha! In your faces! Here you all were, putting the young lad down as if you were all omniscient or whatever and the truth was spot on! Maki may be old, but he ain't senile yet!"

Org grimaced at Yajima's words. "To be fair, most recommendations and reports we receive on individuals tend to be exaggerated at least a little bit. Makarov's claim of the boy being able to create a whole new class all to himself just seemed like the usual arrogant boast that most Guild Masters make about their most prized members." Coughing slightly to clear his throat, Org surveyed his colleagues with an interested eye. "So? What did you all think of him?"

Belno was the first to respond. "I find him to be just as powerful as Makarov said he was. Not only did he display incredible strength, good fighting skill and particularly devastating Fire Magic, but he also displayed speed that is perhaps on a level that has never been achieved before. If you look at the fight more closely," she gestured to the screen as it went over the recorded fight, "you'll notice that Uzumaki was able to completely evade Dreyar's charge, return to his previous position and elbow strike his face…all in tenths of a second."

Ultear leaned back in her seat, her eyes watching the screen as it replayed the fight with an intensity that was unusual. "That would imply that his leg muscles are strengthened to an abnormal degree to allow him to reach and maintain such speeds. His clothing reveals that his body is not built heavily; if anything, his build resembles that of a sprinter or swimmer. Shows how much appearances can be deceiving." Gently grabbing a lock of her hair and absently twirling it about her finger, Ultear's intense expression relaxed and turned mischievous. "Getting kicked by those machine legs must hurt like a bitch."

"Ultear-san, such language is not what should be uttered from one as young as yourself." Belno admonished, a faint scowl on her face.

Ultear just nodded with a cheeky grin that showed just how much she thought about that statement. Beside her, Siegrain rubbed his head in embarrassment and laughed nervously. "I guess I jumped the gun in this instance, Yajima-san. This Uzumaki guy seems to be a really talented individual!"

Slipping into a more comfortable seating position, Siegrain continued to give his impression of Naruto. "He seems very resourceful and used his opponents anger against him, something that I say from experience is very good to use. The only other magic he used in the fight was Fire Magic, but what I've just witnessed is far more impressive than anything I've from our top Fire Mages." Setting his chin in his open palm, Siegrain smirked at Org. "If anything, it resembles the type of control Fairy Tail's Dragon Slayer has over his element. Coincidence maybe?"

The cheerful atmosphere in the room slowly turned serious as they all watched the finishing blow once again, comparing and contrasting the performance with that of Natsu Dragneel, the youngest member of Fairy Tail to cause the most damage in over a decade. As the Council members grew more and more alarmed at how disturbingly similar both attacks were performed, none besides Ultear saw the manic smile that appeared on Siegrain's face.

After all, if he could appear as someone the boy could trust and depend on, why should he use force when slippery words would be more effective in serenading him to aid in resurrecting Zeref?

**- Fairy Tail Stadium-**

Standing once again in the stadium, the S-Class candidates stood before Makarov as he explained the second trial. "The Trial of Knowledge will test your ability to discern an opponent's magic alignment as well as your ability to deal with unknown magic. To up the difficulty of this trial, you will be given a time limit of two minutes to name at least two different magic types your opponents will be using against you."

Erza stepped forward once more, a question burning on her lips. "Who will we be facing?"

The elderly man chuckled and removed his hand from behind, revealing a small and slightly crumpled paper bag. "You'll have to find out by yourselves, I'm afraid."

Ten minutes later, the Trial was underway.

**-Tenrou Island-**

The strange figure shivered in his sleep once again, sleepily clawing at his robe to draw more warmth and ward away the cold of the night. As he slept, the sound of a twig snapping managed to pierce through the haze of his sleepy mind.

Around him, a pack of wolves cautiously slunk through the foliage of the island towards the sleeping figure. As they neared the person, one particularly hungry wolf decided to break the formation and charge at the figure with fangs glistening and body tensed for an easy kill.

The figure sleepily opened an eye. A single red eye with concentric ripple-like patterns pulsated.

All that remained was death…

**A/N: I take back what I said; this isn't the last chapter for the Pre-Canon Arc. The next one will be.**

**I don't have much to say other than the fact that I might be posting my Naruto/Bleach story soon. Also, could you all please review my Naruto/Highschool DxD fic? I've gotten so few reviews that I'm starting to think I'm doing something wrong. Please?**

**As you can see, Gildarts isn't going to be friends with Naruto for a while…maybe not ever. Imagine how awkward it will be when he discovers what Naruto's been doing with his daughter. Also Makarov's explanation may not be the best, but I believe that's the reason why Laxus was able to become an S-Class Mage despite how expressive he was about his thoughts of the current Fairy Tail. **

**Can someone clarify when Mystogun joined Fairy Tail? That would be a big help. The next chapter is going to be a big one; we'll have the Trial of Knowledge going down, Siegrain and Ultear making plans that involve our beloved shinobi, Gildarts getting to fight Naruto, what information Jiraiya managed to dig up on Naraku and some more Zeref! Plus a cameo of Mavis Vermillion!**

**Review! Review! Review!**

**MaelstromBankai.**


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